Three Common Questions About Coding And Marking - Squid Ink

Squid Ink continues to expand our product line to offer more coding and marking solutions than ever before. Are you new to coding and marking equipment? If so, we have compiled a few of the most commonly asked questions to get you started.

For more information, please visit our website.

What kind of information is typically printed on a product? 

The huge benefit of using an inkjet printer or laser coding system is the versatility in what can be marked on your product. An inkjet printer can be used on various substrates such as porous, non-porous, smooth, textured, curved, concave, and more. However, the versatility doesn’t stop there. Inkjet printers are great for printing product information, time and date codes, logos, barcodes, shift codes, serial numbers, and more. Laser printing systems can also permanently mark the coding of text, time and date, bar codes, logos, serial numbering, and more on several substrates, including paper, cardboard, plastic, ceramic, glass, and matte metals. Squid Ink’s coding and marking equipment allow users to print the messages they want, when, and where they want it.

So why is coding and marking equipment so important?

Both laser coding systems and inkjet printers are essential for industries including pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, health and beauty, consumer goods, chemical, and other manufactured goods. One of the most common industries is the food and beverage industry. When looking for an inkjet printing system, it is important to look for high print quality.

Many of the codes on products in the food industry are expiration or sell by dates, and high-quality, legible print is crucial. If the code wears off or is not legible, stores and customers will not know when the food will expire. Worse, a spoiled product could be served to the customer, potentially compromising their health. These crucial codes also contain traceability information to help consumers know if their products have been involved in a safety recall.

Laser coders are an ideal alternative where inkjet systems are not practical, or are not the solution a customer wants. In addition, a laser coding system ensures that the mark will not fade or wear off. Squid Ink’s SQ-Laser clean and eco-friendly coding systems can permanently code text, time and date, bar codes, serial numbers, and more.

Why choose inkjet printing over other solutions? 

Inkjet printing has several advantages over other technologies, like thermal transfer labeling. Inkjet printing is non-contact, which means only the ink touches the products or packaging, and the product remains undamaged and stable. Inkjet prints directly on the product, eliminating costly labels from the equation. High speed and intermittent production can be used with inkjet printing making production lines efficient and accurate.

Inkjet printers utilize large volume ink cartridges. When an ink cartridge is depleted, the cartridge can be changed on the fly with no downtime, unlike thermal transfer label applications where the production line must stop for ribbon and label changes. Squid Ink’s CoPilot Max 512i features a large 500ml snap-in cartridge, allowing users to swap ink cartridges in seconds. The generous ink volume, quick-change ink cartridge, and user-friendly touchscreen design allow users to keep their line running, reducing downtime and maximizing ROI.

Another great feature that inkjet printers offer are their versatility. When utilizing the system’s touchscreen controller and industrial tablet, the user can customize the message they want to be printed. In addition, if part of the message needs to be changed, edits can occur on the production floor, cutting downtime and allowing greater flexibility, something not available with pre-printed labels.

As you can see, coding and marking equipment is crucial to product safety and traceability while helping companies increase their ROI. It’s no wonder that Squid Ink’s coding and marking equipment helps companies deliver their products to the world.

Do you want to learn more about coding and marking equipment? Visit our product pages and view our full selection of equipment to find the right solution for your coding and marking needs.

Trust us - a lot of people ask themselves the very same question. After only a few weeks of printing, your ink cartridge has already run dry (or starting to). And when that happens of course - the next step is to get an ink cartridge replacement.

The question now is: Do you spend more money (again) buying OEM/branded printer ink from Canon, Epson, or HP? Or save money buying remanufactured ink cartridges?

Read: OEM vs Remanufactured Ink

As expected, brand name manufacturers like Canon, HP, Brother, and Epson will tell you that their ink products are superior and remanufactured ink will damage your printer. And honestly - a few years ago, that MIGHT have been true.

Companies that make remanufactured ink and toner have come a long way and have greatly improved their manufacturing process. While you can still get ink refill kits, there are more advanced technologies that have perfected their process of remanufacturing ink.

Highly committed to match the high standards of reliability and quality of OEM ink, these manufacturers have changed public perception about aftermarket printer cartridges and saving consumers a lot of money in the process.

In this blog post, we will share everything you need to know about remanufactured ink and toner, by answering common questions and concerns.

Remanufactured ink cartridges - what are they?

Remanufactured toner or ink is an OEM or original ink cartridge that has gone through professional cleaning, refilled with similar quality product, and rigorously tested to ensure customers will get the exact print quality as branded ink cartridges.

Inkjets is an online store that sells affordable remanufactured ink and toner cartridges, and have been doing so for decades.The company delivers comparable page yield and print quality that rival name brand ink, at a fraction the cost. You can save up to 80% off name brand cartridges when you use inkjet aftermarket cartridges, plus get a 100% satisfaction guarantee and 1-year money-back warranty.

Where does a remanufactured cartridge come from?

Remanufactured laser toner and inkjet cartridges are usually collected from recycling programs and other fundraising efforts. Printing with remanufactured ink cartridges mean you are doing your part to prevent more cartridges from getting dumped in landfills. Plus, you reduce your own carbon footprint by using recycled materials. Websites such as Earth 911 are a great resource for finding recycling services in your area, where you can donate used printer ink cartridges.

For more information, please visit SAVEN.

Read: Remanufactured Ink is the Greener Option

How are ink or toner cartridges remanufactured?

1. First, ink and toner cartridges are sorted by part number and stored in temperature controlled environments to stop them from drying out.

2. Quality control technicians thoroughly inspect each cartridge for signs of damage. Afterwards, cartridges are performance tested using an electrical tester.

3. If there is remaining ink, all of it is emptied from the cartridge and gets a thorough cleaning process with a high power cleaning system that uses demineralized water.

4. After cleaning, the cartridges are dried and vacuum-filled with top rated printer ink. This ink formula used is as similar as possible to original cartridges, without violating any patent. If cartridges use smart chips, new chips are put in, which allows the printer to recognize the remanufactured cartridges, and display proper working ink levels.

5. Cartridges are then inspected to ensure they have the exact internal atmospheric pressure and are then sealed to stop leakage.

6. Every remanufactured cartridge undergoes the exact page yield test as original cartridges. Each test is done using at least three different printers. Five test pages are printed consecutively in order, and finished off with a diagnostic page.

7. After a cartridge has passed the test, it goes through another round of cleaning, then polishing, then heat sealed in vapor-resistant bags, and finally boxed and ready for shipping.

What is the difference between compatible and remanufactured cartridges?

Simply put, remanufactured cartridges are essentially professionally reused brand name cartridges. Compatible cartridges on the other hand, are made from 100% new materials. Meaning they are made from all brand new materials - new parts, fresh ink, new cartridge. Like remanufactured cartridges, compatible cartridges have an extensive testing process to make sure they provide the same quality prints as original cartridges.

The two of them are ideal alternatives to buying OEM ink and saves you a lot of money on printing costs. But why have two different types? The answer is: cartridge availability.

Certain printer manufacturers own patents on their ink cartridges and this affects whether third-party cartridge manufacturers can make a remanufactured or a compatible ink version. Depending on the printer you use, it might accept compatible or remanufactured cartridges.

Regardless of what ink cartridge you use for your printer, you will get high quality ink for up to 80% less when you print with Inkjets products! You can also check out our quick video about the differences between compatible and remanufactured ink cartridges.

Watch: Compatible vs Remanufactured Ink Cartridges

Does aftermarket ink or toner void my printer’s warranty?

This is a common concern, and one that is very understandable.

Does a remanufactured cartridge leak more than a cartridge from the original manufacturer?

Absolutely not. A leak happens with original cartridges as much as remanufactured or compatible cartridges. Leaks usually occur if the ink cartridge is shaken too much while in transit.

Will print quality be the same as with original brand cartridges?

Remanufactured ink cartridges are thoroughly tested against the original, genuine cartridge print quality. And this is done during the first stages of remanufacturing. They also must pass the lifecycle quality test that will account for both shelf life and page yield. This guarantees that the print quality stays the same throughout the cartridge's life cycle.

Read: The Lifecycle of an Inkjet Cartridge

Wrapping it up

Remanufactured ink cartridges these days truly give original brand cartridges a run for their money, in both reliability and performance. Most of the time you can't even tell the difference between the two and hundreds of customers are happy they have made the switch to remanufactured ink and toner.

Now that you have learned how the ink and toner remanufacturing process works, you can better make a decision on what works best for your needs and budget. If you have any further questions about our compatible and remanufactured ink products, get in touch with our inkjets.com team!

For more Inkjet Ink Manufacturers(fr,ja,tr)information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.