Remember the movie Rocky, where a virtually unknown boxer comes out of nowhere to challenge world champion, Apollo Creed, for the world title? It goes down in history as one of the most inspirational movies of all time and reminds me of our solid ink printing technology. Xerox’s solid ink has taken its punches, but still remains one of the most highly advanced and efficient office printing technologies today.
What is solid ink technology?
Solid ink is a proven color printing technology only offered by Xerox. A solid ink printer or multifunction printer (MFP) uses solid sticks (or blocks) of no-mess, non-toxic ink instead of toner or inkjet cartridges. It produces less consumable waste so there is much less to throw away. Solid ink is easy to use, produces incredible color print quality, is cost-effective, and is an environmentally-responsible printing option. And did you know that solid ink has been around for 20 years? Solid ink technology was introduced in 1991 and has received nearly 100 awards and reviews. With each new generation of solid ink, continuous improvements are made to this innovative technology.
The Truth is out there
Many other manufacturers do not understand how solid ink works, and over the years, it has been challenged on a variety of aspects. We have our own “X-Files”, frequently asked questions, where you can read more about the myths and truths of solid ink. We have an entire page dedicated to dispelling these solid ink myths. I’ve compiled a few of my personal favorites that I hope will prove educational:
TRUTH: Solid ink uses less power than laser when printing
The solid ink team goes to great lengths to build power-saving features into all solid ink printers. For instance, our Intelligent Ready software learns your usage patterns and further optimizes power consumption by moving into a “power save” mode when you are least likely to use the printer.
Thanks to smart features like Intelligent Ready, the Phaser 8860 solid ink printer requires only half the power to print a given page compared with the HP Color LaserJet 4700 printer during actual printing.
Truth: Solid ink is durable, doesn’t scratch off easily, and won’t melt in the hot sun
A comprehensive Comparative Image Permanence/Durability test conducted by Buyers Laboratory, Inc. (BLI) in May 2009 concludes that the Xerox ColorQube 9201/9202/9203 Series MFPs’ image permanence is comparable to that of color laser imaging technology. In each image permanence/durability test, the ColorQube 9200 series prints received the same image permanence rating as the laser prints.
The ink’s melting temperature is close to the boiling point of water. So unless your office heater is cranked up to actual boiling point, you don’t have any concerns over melting prints. At this point, it’s the least of your worries.
Just like Rocky Balboa, solid ink has taken some “hits” yet I believe still prevails as the best technology for office printing. To quote Rocky:
“…it ain’t about how hard you hit… It’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward… how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That´s how winning is done.. ” (Rocky Balboa, 2006)
When you’ve had a chance to review the myths, drop a comment on your favorite and why. Or if you have a question of your own or would like for us to try and play mythbusters, we are always up for the challenge.
I knew nothing about solid ink technology when I started this article…but now I do! Thanks Bob!