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Recycling Times Magazine

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Publisher & Managing Director Tony Lee +86 (0)756 3919260 Directors David Gibbons +86 (0)756 3919261 Sabrina Lo +86 (0)756 3919266 Editorial Consulting Editor Art Diamond Editors Lu Di +86 (0)756 3919268 Ludi@iRecyclingTimes.com Tina Chou +86 (0)756 3959286 Tina.Chou@iRecyclingTimes.com Sophia Jiang Sophia.Jiang@iRecyclingTimes.com Jane Yu Jane.Yu@iRecyclingTimes.com Jeven Zhang Jeven.Zhang@iRecyclingTimes.com Designer Miracle Wei Miracle.Wei@iRecyclingTimes.com Kevin Deng Kevin.Deng@iRecyclingTimes.com Sales Sales Manager Anna Liang +86 (0)756 3919266 Account Manager Kevin Zhu +86 (0)756 3919265 Sales Executives Sally He +86 (0)756 3919263 Tobee Deng +86 (0)756 3919282 Susi Guo +86 (0)756 3959299 Operation and Marketing Operation Manager Charles Lee +86 (0)756 3919267 Frank Yang +86 (0)756 3959280 Operations Assistant Sunny Zhang +86 (0)756 3959282 Accounting Betty Lee +86 (0)756 3919269 Joy He +86 (0)756 3919262 Marketing Supervisor Jessica Yin Jessica.Yin@iRecyclingTimes.com +86 (0) 756 3919264 Tracy Zhang +86 (0)756 3959283 Published by Recycling Times Media Corporation Address 5F, Pacific Insurance Building, Jiuzhou Ave, Zhuhai, 519000

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editorial

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The number of important imaging stories in the first two months of 2012 suggests this year will be a big one in terms of activity on all fronts: legal, scientific, business and environmental. Among them is Canon’s lawsuit charging more than 30 aftermarket companies with patent infringement. The list includes, Clover Holdings, Inc., Dataproducts, Imaging Resources, Nukote, Office World, and Orink. Canon’s legal action against third-party suppliers is something that was expected to happen sooner or later. However, it comes as a surprise that Clover, a producer of only remanufactured consumables, is among the list of respondents. Previously, we thought OEMs would only oppose new moulds and not remanufactured, environmentally-friendly cartridges. Why? The reason, in my opinion, is Canon’s concern over the rapid growth of remanufactured supplies companies like Clover, which is only 15 years old and already has sales of $600 million USD. Clover has captured more market share than the OEMs can accept. Suing Clover and 29+ other players might be Canon’s tactic to discourage other printer cartridge remanufacturers from competing against the OEM in the aftermarket. This massive legal action causes some to doubt where the printing consumables industry will be in the future. As far as I’m concerned, it all depends on business strategy. If you only focus on monochrome cartridges, your bright future may happen “once in a blue moon”. Canon forecasts that for the first time sales of monochrome laser printers will decline 2% in 2012. So, where is the thriving market? Besides color printers, I submit that more attention should be focused on color copiers and digital multifunction devices (MFDs). Both are widely used in desktop office printing as well as digital print shops and kiosks. MFDs have experienced rapid growth in recent years and OEMs have invested heavily in these products. It is reported that China has almost 300,000 digital print shops and kiosks (excluding production printing plants) and many of them are facing the need to replace or upgrade their equipment. That means an expansion of the installed printer base and an increase in the demand for consumables. Canon projects that color copiers and MFDs will have a dramatic growth of 21% and monochrome laser copiers and MFDs will be up by 10% in 2012. I think these positive projections tell us something about the future for aftermarket sales. Print-Rite is celebrating its 30th anniversary in March. I am impressed by its achievements over the past 30 years. What impresses me more is its claim: “We will color the world with Green!” Happy Birthday, PrintRite! Bravo for staying closely tuned to the changing trends in the imaging industry and changing with them!

Tony Lee Publisher & Managing Director

All rights reserved. © 2011 by Recycling Times Media Corporation. The contents are not be to copied or republished without official written consent. The editorial content does not represent official positions of Recycling Times Media Corporation.

Recycling Times Magazine

contents

LED printers VS. lasers & solid ink jets LED printing—invented by Casio, championed by OKI and used by Brother, Dell, Fuji-Xerox, Kyocera, Lexmark, Océ, Siemens, Xeikon and Xerox—was touted as the next big thing in electrophotography in the 1980s.

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Reviewing OEM financial reports for 2011

Just a Minute

What can we learn from Kodak?

Downswings in the economy and the natural disasters, such as the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and the massive flood in Thailand in October, all took their toll on the financial performance of companies in the imaging industry.

Money From Home

Changes in OPC drum technology

Industry Updates China’s first printer, debuts in Israel 07 PANTUM, UniNet welcomes new Sales Manager Print-Rite posts “Green” message on Times Square’s LED display

08 Hall 1 sold out at CIFEX|RemaxAsia Expo 2012

OEM News

Intelicoat Technologies upgrades coating capabilities

09 West Point Products launches Axess Service & Tech Support Recycling Times attended Remanexpo at Paperworld 2012

All-In-Ones from Canon 17 New Konica Minolta unveils high volume printers

10 Wide-format printer market research report Features Product Release announces new series of compatible carts 12 UTec MSE intros compatible, high-yield toner cartridges

18 LED printers VS. lasers & solid ink jets 24 A primer on OPC drum technology 29 Reviewing OEM financial reports for 2011

13 Goat Labs offers toner/OPC for Epson printers

Katun unveils color toner for Konica Minolta printers

Profiles

DCI/Jet Tec releases reman inkjet carts

Consistent quality, specialty papers define Huangshan

36 Huabang Digital Technology OEM News Fuji-Xerox plan printer plants in Asia 14 Hewlett-Packard, Canon to build laser printers in the Philippines Kodak to halt digital camera production

Market Data

A monthly briefing on new printers

16 Protective overcoat from Kyocera

Epson releases 64-inch solvent printer Global Imaging Systems acquires RK Dixon

17 Fuji-Xerox launches green solutions in Singapore

Tech Zone Remanufacturing the HP color LaserJet Enterprise CP5225

44 series black and color toner cartridges March 2012 |

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Recycling Times Magazine

Just a Minute with David Gibbons

What can we learn from Kodak? How is it possible the company which became a household name by replacing glass photographic plates with a roll of film in 1884— “as convenient as the pencil” technology—is now in trouble? How is it possible the company which set the industry standard for colour technology in 1963, reached sales of US$10bn by 1981, ... could be floundering in 2012? How is it possible they developed the technology and manufactured the first digital camera in recent decades, but may disappear in the space of a year—or less? Yes, they had the digital technology first, and yet the digital age has not gone well for Kodak. Their biggest hope for survival now, is to gain substantial returns on their patent portfolio— valued at around three billion dollars—and proceeds from lawsuits from the likes of Apple and RIM over alleged patent infringements.

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Kodak says while they do not make mobile phones, many camera phones use their technology. I was sitting with my good friend Horst Boellman from Per-Fil in his toner hopper refilling machine booth at the RemanExpo in Germany last month. We agreed. Kodak had the technology to manufacture digital cameras. But they sat on the patents for almost two decades and did nothing with it. Why? Because the revenue from rolls of film were so lucrative, they dare not mess with it. Yes it was greed. Now we live in a digital world. And Kodak has been caught out. Others have now developed the science which should have been Kodak’s legacy. Is it possible we could make the same mistakes in our own businesses?

David Gibbons is a director of Recycling Times. He has been a school principal, businessman, marketer, communicator, TV presenter/host and a remanufacturer. For many years he was the executive officer of the Australasian Cartridge Remanufacturers' Association (ACRA).

Recycling Times Magazine

Money From Home

Changes in OPC drum technology Many have said, albeit in different words, the only thing constant in life is change. Thus, technologies shift and vary, they morph from one form to another. It is all to be expected, especially in a dynamic field such as electrophotography. Much of the change represents a step forward—better performance, lower cost, better useful life—and is often caused by breakthrough developments in materials science. However, from where I’m standing, the only major change in photoreceptors (drums,

plates and belts) that we all use has been with their price. Back in the 1980s, a typical organic photoconductor (OPC) drum, for a desktop

printer, would retail for roughly $20.00. Today, with any reasonable volume purchase, the price has bottomed out at less than $3.00 apiece! There’s nothing unexpected about that change, except perhaps the magnitude of the price decrease. What is extraordinary, however, is the lack of change in OPC drum construction. We are still using thin-walled aluminum drums coated with a base layer, a charge generating layer (CGL), and a charge transport layer (CTL), Further, for most OPC drums, the starting materials haven’t changed very much in the past 30 years Perhaps the most significant change in OPC drum technology is the unique top-coating, or overcoat, developed by Static Control Components (SCC) and unveiled on January 1, 2008. This CTL replenishing layer regenerates the performance of a used OPC drum. U.S. Patent 7,588,873 B2 was granted to inventors Edwin H. Swartz, et al, on Sept. 15, 2009 for this invention. Because it repairs a worn OPC drum, the process complies with the doctrine of permissible repair, hence it qualifies as a legally valid remanufacturing method and does not violate any proprietary intellectual property or OEM patents. It is a fine example of remanufacturing at its best, i.e., taking a product that has been worn by normal use and bringing it back up to its original level of performance for less than the initial cost. Indeed, at that time, SCC estimated the cost of applying the coating at around 20 cents! As of April 2011, SCC estimated its CTL

Replenishment System was being used by at least 1,400 rechargers worldwide! Today, the OPC drum situation is different. OPC drum coating plants have become highly roboticized, all but eliminating labor from the unit manufacturing cost (UMC) calculation. Fierce price competition among dr um coaters and availability of quality products from numerous sources has impeded growth of the market for a drum reconditioning operation. There appears to be an oversupply of replacement OPC drums, so that, in many cases, it’s cheaper to install a new drum than to pay the cost of labor involved in cleaning, coating and testing a used one. In his overall assessment of the cartridge components industry SCC’s CEO Ed Swartz noted that the OEMs are continuing to make the business more complex. “In my view, there are three reasons driving this trend, Swartz observed, “First, OEMs are adding more features to their printers and copiers; second, they are making it more difficult for aftermarket suppliers to develop and fabricate replacement parts; and third, they are attempting to secure patent protection on each modification. This trend is most apparent among smart chips, OPC drum gears, and PCRs. The net result is that the cost of being a competitor is constantly rising, marginal players are being edged out, more focus is being directed on product R&D, and the future for the cartridge reman industry is shifting into the domain of the major suppliers.

Arthur S. Diamond Art Diamond is a 56-year veteran of the imaging industry. He is President of Diamond Research Corporation, a high technology research and consulting firm he formed in 1968 after research assignments with Eastman Kodak, Times Facsimile, Addressograph-Multigraph and Telautograph Corporation. DRC serves clients through product formulation and development, private studies, strategic market planning, and expert witness testimony. Diamond is known internationally as an expert on dry toners and imaging media with 15 issued U.S. patents.

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Recycling Times Magazine

Industry Updates

PANTUM, China’s first printer, debuts in Israel

n February 5th, 2012, the “Created in China” PANTUM printer was officially launched in Israel with the introduction of Model P1000 and P2000 single-function, monochrome printers. Israel is the starting point for PANTUM’s Middle East Operation, an entry viewed as a major challenge, but also seen as the best starting point for the Middle East Market. More than100 Israeli resellers, media and industry specialists witnessed the debut. These new printers can reduce paper jams and sustain a monthly duty cycle of 20,000 pages, according to Seine Image International Co., Ltd. (Zhuhai, P.R. China) the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). PANTUM offers a much higher capacity replacement cartridge than competitive printers, thereby reducing the cost per page by more than 20% and reducing the task of frequent cartridge replacement. In addition, most OEM printers offer a 1,500-page replacement cartridge while PANTUM users enjoy the convenience of a 2,300 page cartridge. Recently, mono laser printers and MFPs have jointly accounted for a 74.8% share of the desktop digital printing market. PANTUM printers were first introduced to the Chinese market on December 6, 2010. Shortly afterwards, only 10 months later, PANTUM brought out its MFPs on October 14, 2011, and at the same time unveiled its worldwide expansion plans. With its strength in product innovation and R&D, Seine’s PANTUM has become an international brand name that covers a dozen models of monochrome laser printers and MFPs.

Print-Rite posts “Green” message on Times Square’s LED display

t a prime location, for all the world to see, Print-Rite claimed, “For the next 30 years, we will color the world with Green.” The message appeared on an LED display wall at New York’s Times Square on January 27, 2012. With CEO Arnald Ho in appearance to make the pledge, the announcement confirms PrintRite’s commitment to produce eco-friendly consumable products for printers and copiers for three more decades. Print-Rite said it was making its mark on the history of the print consumable industry by choosing the outdoor display at Times Square, which it symbolized as “The Crossroads of the World.” In doing so, Print-Rite has effectively flexed its manufacturing and R&D muscles and conveyed its images and ideas to top officials of government, to senior executives of industry, to the ever-flowing river of people that pass through Times Square, and viewer the world over exposed to the display via television and other visual media. Print-Rite has taken green printing as its mission since 1981. In addition to supplying aftermarket printer consumables and printing services, PrintRite also contributes to the community and the environment through its commitment to corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. For the past 30 years, Print-Rite has gone through the resplendent transformation from a wholesale trader to a producer of its own brandname products. The company has moved from manufacturing to research, development and innovation, and from final assembly and testing to vertical integration. It has gradually developed into a powerful product and service provider in the printer consumables aftermarket.

UniNet welcomes new Sales Manager

ninet named Mark McGoldrick its Western Regional Sales Manager to strengthen its sale force in the United States. McGoldrick will lead the company’s sales efforts related to the U.S Western Region including the Los Angeles area and International sales departments. The appointment is designed to foster UniNet’s

continued growth. Mr. McGoldrick is a toner remanufacturing industry professional with more than 15 years of experience in sales and management. His last position was as National Sales Manager at Oasis Imaging Products. Nestor Saporiti, UniNet President and CEO commented, “We are delighted to have Mark

McGoldrick joining the UniNet family. Mark’s extensive experience, coupled with his close relationships built with several key clients has brought tremendous value to our company. I am confident that he will continue to support the needs of remanufacturers and to service the growing demand for UniNet solutions in the Western region.”

March 2012 |

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Recycling Times Magazine

Industry Updates

Hall 1 sold out at CIFEX|RemaxAsia Expo 2012

I F E X | R e m a x A s i a E x p o, t h e world’s largest computer printing trade fair, will again be held at the Zhuhai Airshow Centre on 15-17 October 2012. While exhibit space in Hall 1, and half of the booths in Hall 2, are already sold out, booths are still available. In 2011, the total amount of exhibition floor space was up over prior years at 30,000 square meters. Organizers at Recycling Times Media Corporation welcomed 9,893 visitors who attended from 81 countries and regional areas. These delegates had the opportunity to examine and discuss a wide range of products and services at the 422 booths. They also met personally with Exhibitors from 19 countries and world regions. With the success of CIFEX|RemaxAsia in 2011, Exhibitors are opting to book booth space early for this unique international event in 2012. Ms. Anna Liang, Sales Manager with Recycling Times Media, says “Almost every Exhibitor at the 2011 show will again participate in 2012. They are very keen to book into the event, many moving up to larger booths. At present, there are no booths left in Hall 1 and half the booths have already been sold in Hall 2.” Many repeat Exhibitors will be at the 2012 CIFEX|RemaxAsia Expo including, 3-Ink,

Baiksan, China Eternal, Future Graphics, Hill Sound, Huahan Electronic Company, Jadi, Kuroki, LG, Microjet, Ninestar, Orink, Polytoner, Print-Rite, Speed, Static Control Components and UniNet. Other, new entrants indicate they will be there, too. Companies such as Cartridge Web and TTi, say they will attend the 2012 CIFEX|RemaxAsia expo in Zhuhai. Kevin Lai, Sales Manager with General Plastic Industrial Co., Ltd. commented: “We exhibited at another show in Shanghai before, and this will be the first time we have participated at the Zhuhai show. There are more Exhibitors here in Zhuhai. I believe the show will continue to attract more international buyers from all over the world. We expect to find more customers here.” Zhejiang Anji Huahan Electronic Company, a firm that had not exhibited at CIFEX|RemaxAsia Expo in prior years, has also booked a booth for this year’s show. According to Mr. Lee, the company’s Vice President, “The organization of CIFEX|RemaxAsia is good and the service is perfect. The show is professional and increasing year-by-year, which will attract more international visitors. That’s why we will participate in the show this year. “ Organizers expect 440 Exhibitors and 10,500

visitors at this annual gathering of hardware and consumable suppliers, industry media, toner and ink jet ink producers, and many other related manufacturing, distribution, and service businesses. To accommodate this increased volume, exhibition floor space has been expanded to 32,000 m2. Most important this year is that a new China Digital Printing Event will be held at the Zhuhai Airshow Centre concurrent with CIFEX|RemaxAsia. Organizers believe that this “double-header” will attract even more delegates to both events in October. Recycling Times Media officials advise that a limited number of booths are still available on a first come, first served basis. For more information, companies planning to exhibit should visit the new website at: www.iRecyclingTimes.com You can also send an email to Ms. Anna Liang at: anna.liang@ iRecyclingTimes.com or, call: +86.756.391.9266.

Intelicoat Technologies upgrades coating capabilities

merican coated paper manufacturer InteliCoat Te c h n o l o g i e s ( S o u t h Hadley, MA) has partnered with Exopack Advanced Coatings (Matthews, NC), a global specialist in contract coating and finishing flexible materials, to improve InteliCoat’s manufacturing capabilities. The strategic relationship strives to strengthen product development and customer service levels. As part of the exclusive agreement, all InteliCoat’s Magic, Magiclée, Museo and JetSet

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offerings will remain unchanged, consisting of the same base papers and coating processes. InteliCoat will also continue to manage all aspects of product development, converting and customer service in its South Hadley headquarters. Exopack will help InteliCoat improve the new coating technologies efficiency, accelerate product development capabilities and improve response to market changes. “Our new relationship with Exopack Advanced Coatings enables InteliCoat to con-

tinue to uphold its long history of delivering the utmost in innovation, performance and quality, while improving on-time delivery and inventory levels,” said Joe Lupone, President of InteliCoat Technologies. David Neal, President of Exopack Advanced Coatings, said: “We look forward to employing our technical and manufacturing know-how to enable InteliCoat to not only improve its ontime service levels, but to uphold the longstanding commitment to excellence InteliCoat has delivered throughout its history.”

Recycling Times Magazine

Industry Updates

West Point Products launches Axess Service & Tech Support

maging materials supplier West Point Products ( Valley Grove, WV ) has made available to dealers its Axess Service and Tech Support Portal, which offers more than 7,000 certified service technicians. This new product is designed to allow Axess dealers to pursue and support nationwide Managed Print Service (MPS) contracts by leveraging trusted third-party service technicians. By offering more than 7,000 cerrtified service technicians, the Axess Service and Tech Support Portal allows dealers to expand their coverage and pursue larger service contracts. “Our strategy with the Axess suite of products and services has always been to make our dealers as competitive in their markets as

possible by providing the tools they need to manage their MPS contracts more electively,” said Ray Loisel, Sr. Vice President of Managed Print Services, “The Axess Service and Tech Support Portal is the next stage in Axess evolution, and will allow our dealers to pursue contracts that they may have had to back away from in the past due simply to the size of the deal..” About West Point Products Founded in 1972, West Point Products has evolved from a remanufacturer of ink and toner cartridges to a single-source destination for all imaging supplies, including ink toner cartridges, color toner cartridges, AgriTone

bio-based toner cartridges, MaxLife extended yield cartridges, MICR Print Solutions, maintenance kits and fusers, replacement ribbons, refurbished printers, and postage supplies.

Recycling Times attended Remanexpo at Paperworld 2012

taff from Recycling Times Media Corporation attended Remanexpo at Paperworld 2012 in Frankfurt between 28th and 3st of January to promote 2012 CIFEX|RemaxAisa expo in Zhuhai, the Recycling Times Magazine and inTouch TV news. Christmasworld and Creativeworld 2012 were held at the same time as Paperworld and organisers say there were about 3000 exhibitors from 72 counties and 87,000 visitors from 155 countries. One hundred and fifty

of the exhibitors were in the Remanexpo pavillion. "Despite the difficult financial situation, the approximately 3,000 exhibitors from 72 countries have positive expectations of the new year because, although slightly fewer buyers came to Frankfurt from Southern Europe and Asia, they were able to expand their international business. There was a significant increase in the number of East European and, in particular, Russian visitors and this supported the international strategies of our exhibitors", says Detlef Braun, member of the Executive Board of Messe Frankfurt, commenting on the results of the fair. During the fair, Recycling Times staff distributed leaflets, promotional passports, the Recycling Times magazine a 2012 industry map and introduced updated information about the 2012 CIFEX|RemaxAsia show in Zhuhai, attracting positive

▲ David and Sally talking with customers

comments and recognition. Doo-Won Seo, president of Roots, Co., Ltd from Korea, in commenting on the upcoming CIFEX|RemaxAsia in October, said "The Zhuhai show continues to increase greatly. It’s much bigger than before, and we will definitely consider exhibiting at the show in 2012." Catalin Burghelea, from P Production also showed interest in Zhuhai show: "We have many suppliers in China, The CIFEX|RemaxAsia show continues to grow, so we will plan to visit the show in 2012 to find new suppliers. " Many companies at Remanexpo booked their booths for the 2012 CIFEX|RemaxAsia show in Zhuhai, including Integral, Uninet and Printchip. Paperworld is the first show attended by Recycling Times staff in 2012. In coming months, Recycling Times will also attend ReIndia, ITEX and other trade shows in the world to create awareness of the event in order to attract more international visitors.

March 2012 |

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Recycling Times Magazine

Industry Updates

Wide-format printer market research report

ccording to a new report by MarketsandMarkets (Dallas, TX) the advertising industry is witnessing a massive transformation with consumer preferences changing rapidly. As a result, businesses must work on marketing and promotional activities in order to retain their customers and attract a new pool of buyers. Wide-format printing ( WFP) plays a vital role in the promotional activities of a company seeking to achieve a competitive edge over its rivals. The WFP market has taken a huge leap following the 2008-09 recession and this growth has impacted small and medium size businesses (SMBs) that rely upon outdoor printing, such as, banners, billboards and non-digital signage. Clearly, the market for WF printers and consumables will share in that expansion. APAC (Asia Pacific, Australia and China) is the major consumer in the global market for wide format paper, textile and vinyl prints. In terms of WFPs, there is neck-to-neck competition between the North American and APAC regional markets, the MM report concludes, but in the coming five years, APAC will overpower North America. As of now, APAC is the leader in the textile industry and also has the largest market share in the overall market for textile printers. The MM report deals with all the driving factors, restraints, and opportunities for the WFP market, which is helpful in identifying trends and key success factors for the industry. The report also profiles the various companies, which are in the field of WFP, with their competitive landscapes and strategies. It highlights the winning strategies and burning issues pertaining to the WFP industry. The global market for large format printers is expected to reach $12.5 billion five years hence, at an estimated CAGR of 5.7% from 2011 to 2016. Applications will be more inclined towards outdoor advertisement and textile printing. The WFP market forecast, by ink type, is also a prominent segment, as most of the companies are following the concept of low cost

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ink and high quality imaging. Hence, ink type and application are the two most important segments as far as the WFP market is concerned. Scope of the report This “Large ( Wide) Format Inkjet Printers Market” research report categorizes the global WFP Market based on paper width, ink type, technology, design application, and textile printing; it also forecasts revenues and analyzes trends in the global WFP market. Paper width The global WFP market is categorized into different print width sizes such as 17” to 24”, 24” to 44”, 44” to 62”, and 62” to 100”. This segmentation is further divided by ink technology. It signifies which print width size is the most popular for a particular ink type and vice versa. Ink technology The WFP market has been segmented on the basis of three ink types, namely UV-cured, aqueous, and solvent based. Solvents are subdivided into three classes: eco-solvent, midsolvent, and hard solvent. This segmentation is further divided by geography and by application. Design application There are mainly two design application segments on the basis of which the entire WFP application market has been divided. They are: Graphics and Computer Assisted Design (CAD). Graphics applications cover photographic printing, indoor signage, outdoor advertisement, fleet/vehicle graphics and floor graphics. The CAD segment covers Architectural, Engineering and Construction (AEC) diagrams or layouts. The CAD segment is also useful in the fashion industry for apparel design. Textile printing Textile printing is a different market altogether, and is growing faster than all others.

Textile printing uses mostly WFP in the form of roll-to-roll and direct to garment techniques. The textile market has been divided on the basis of two ink types; water-based ink and plastisol inks. Plastisol inks typically consist of a vinyl plastic powder dispersed in a liquid plasicizer. Because they contain no harmful solvent, they are considered to be environmentally friendly. Geographic location Geographical analysis covers North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and ROW. All geographical areas have been forecasted in the MM report, based on ink type, applications, and design segment. About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets is a global market research and consulting company based in the U.S. The firm publishes strategically analyzed market research reports and serves as a business intelligence partner to Fortune 500 companies across the world. MarketsandMarkets also provides multiclient reports, company profiles, databases, and custom research services. They cover thirteen industry verticals, including advanced materials, automotives and transportation, banking and financial services, biotechnology, chemicals, consumer goods, energy and power, food and beverages, industrial automation, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, semiconductor and electronics, and telecommunications and IT. To learn more about MarketsandMarkets and its reports, please visit www.marketsandmarkets. com.

Recycling Times Magazine

Product Release

UTec announces new series of compatible carts

Te c ( U n i o n Te c h n o l o g y International Ltd.) announced a new series of compatible laser cartridges, which employ Print-Rite’s patented SJVP technology. Headquartered in Macau, China, Utec is “the master distributor of Print-Rite imaging products for export markets.” Called JUMPR 75+, the new line combines the features of greater print yield, high print quality, low cost per page and environmental friendliness. UTech also claims new CB435A and CB436A cartridges, designed for use with HP printers, are the first two models to start shipping. Both cartridges print 3,500 pages, or

75% more than the OEM product and other aftermarket cartridges. SJVP technology includes a switching system that enables contact development process cartridges to work in the prevailing jump development printing environment. The new technology also features a toner reuse system that significantly improves toner efficiency, resulting in an almost doubling of print yield using the same toner payload. Cartridges employing SJVP technology will have almost zero waste toner, hence they will help alleviate green house gas effects through lower net CO2 emission from incinerated waste toner.

By using a different toner to work with SJVP, the JUMPR 75+ cartridges also radically cast out the defects of poor fusing and backgrounding typically found in many aftermarket cartridges that use conventional mechanical technology (CMT toner). “Compatible CE278A and CE285A cartridges will be rolled out in late February 2012,” said Iris Ngo, General Manager of UTec, “but the biggest excitement will be the release of JUMPR 75+ cartridges for use in heavy duty, network printers like the HP 4250. This will happen in the second quarter of 2012. Right now, customers offering MPS are lining up to order these ultra-high yield cartridges.”

MSE intros compatible, high-yield toner cartridges

SE ( Van Nuys, CA) a reman industr y leader offering Intelligently Re-Engineered cartridges has introduced compatible cartridges, claiming they will print 40% more pages than the OEM product. MSE says their high-yield toner

with DCP-9040CN, DCP-9045CDN, HL-4040CDN, HL-4040CN, HL-4070CDW, MFC-9440CN, MFC9450CDN and MFC-9840CDW printers. The Model HL-4040 series is Brother’s most popular color laser printer and can be found in retail stores worldwide. Product

According to MSE, all products undergo rigorous testing protocols, including environmental stress, accelerated aging, shipping simulation and ISO 19798 test procedures. Cost and print yield comparisons are shown in Table B.

Cost per page HP Part No. MSE part No. MSE yield OEM yield (US cents) MSE OEM

MSE brand Q7551X Private label Q7551X brand

02-21-35162

18,000

13,000

1.2

1.9

02-21-35122

18,000

13,000

1.2

1.9

▲ Table A MSE vs HP private label carts

cartridges can be used for HP LaserJet P3005, P3005d, P3005n, P3005dn, P3005x, M3027, M3027x, M3035, and M3035xs printers. (The HP P3005 series was first released in November 2006.) Multiple proprietary technologies and custom fixtures are applied to upgrade the cartridges and prevent historical leakage problems and other issues, according to MSE. For a cost and print yield comparison, see Table A. Also available are compatible toner cartridges for Brother HL-4040 printers. which can be used

Product

Cost per page Brother MSE part No. MSE yield OEM yield (US cents) Part No. MSE OEM

MSE brand (black) HY Private label brand (black) HY MSE brand (cyan) HY Private label brand (cyan) HY MSE brand (yellow) HY Private label brand (yellow) HY MSE brand (magenta) HY Private label brand (magenta) HY

TN-115BK/ TN-135BK TN-115BK/ TN-135BK TN-115C/ TN-135C TN-115C/ TN-135C TN-115Y/ TN-135Y TN-115Y/ TN-135Y TN-115M/ TN-135M TN-115M/ TN-135M

02-03-40016

5000

2.4

2.9

02-03-40004

5000

2.4

2.9

02-03-40116

4000

10.5

13.2

02-03-40104

4000

10.5

13.2

02-03-40216

4000

10.5

13.2

02-03-40204

4000

10.5

13.2

02-03-40316

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02-03-40304

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▲ Table B MSE vs Brother private label carts

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Recycling Times Magazine

Product Release

Goat Labs offers toner/OPC for Epson printers

uropean cartridge supplier Goat Labs B.V. ( Wijchen, The Netherlands) is offering a matched monochrome toner and OPC drum combination for Epson printers. Goat Labs says its newly released mono toner and compatible OPC drum can be used with the Epson AcuLaser M1200 printer, and provide consistent quality output on these machines. The average black image density is 1.51 while background density is rated at 0.04 units, Goat Labs claims. The Epson AcuLaser M1200 printer was designed for small or home office environment, with a print speed of 20 pages per minute and an image resolution up to 600 dpi. With one of the longest duty cycles on the personal printer market, the Epson AcuLaser M1200 can print up to an incredible 15,000 pages per month! Both a high capacity cartridge (S050523) of up to 3,200 pages and a standard capacity cartridge (S050520) of up to 1,800 pages are available. Goat Labs offers the following components for this engine: Goat code Description t.b.d. 100010 400067 400068 310023

Toner, ProBlack, Epson EPL6200/M1200, 20kg/bag OPC drum, OptiPrint II, Lexmark Optra E/ Epson EPL5500 /6200/M1200 Chip, Epson M1200, 3.2K yield Chip, Epson M1200, 1.8K yield Doctor blade, Minolta PagePro 1300w/1400w/Epson EPL5500 /5700/6100/6200/M1200

DCI/Jet Tec releases reman inkjet carts

uropean printer parts supplier DCI/Jet Tec (Lincolnshire, UK) confirmed the release of remanufactured inkjet cartridges for HP920XL printers. These carts will be

available in either single black, single color or color multipacks. Each inkjet cartridge contains the equivalent volume of ink to an OEM product, i.e., 40ml in black and12.5ml in each of the colors. The Jet Tec inkjets also allow users to access 15% extra ink on the black and 10% extra ink on the colors, resulting in more useable ink than the OEM equivalents and a longer lifespan, DCI/Jet claims. Phil Sneath, Commercial Manager at DCI, commented, “We offer our customers an extensive selection of inkjets and laser toners which is always growing with new products being continuously developed

Unit/pack 1 5 10 10 10

For more information, contact Goat Labs at +31(0)24.388.233 or visit www.goat-labs.com and added to the range. We are extremely pleased to introduce our

Katun unveils color toner for Konica Minolta printers

rinter parts manufacturer K atun Corporation (Minneapolis, MN) unveiled its Katun Performance color toners for use in Konica Minolta Bizhub C200 & C353-series printers, claiming they can cut cost. The company noted these toners provide cost savings, high print yields and consistent performance. Bob Moore, vice president of product development states: “these toners provide OEM-equivalent color matching, making them ideal for either business color or graphics environments.” As with all Katun Performance toners, these new color products have been thoroughly tested to ensure complete forward and reverse compatibility with Konica Minolta toners. End-users can easily install these toner cartridges before, alongside, and/or after OEM toner has been used, without degradation of printer or copier quality.

remanufactured HP920XL inkjets as our latest additions.” The recycled inkjets are collected through the Jet Tec recycling schemes; in association with its sister company The Recycling Factory. Inkjet carts are individually tested and inspected with the highest quality empties being remanufactured. Each inkjet is covered by the 100% 2-year quality guarantee, ensuring high quality performance. Also available are 9 additions to the DCI/Jet Tec laser toner product line. The new products add to the company’s already extensive range of remanufactured toners, which cover the most popular brands including, Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Kyocera, Lexmark, OKI and Samsung. The full range of toners are all produced in-house in the company’s UK- based factory following a strict remanufacturing process using only the highest quality empties and toner powder, DCI/ Jet Tec claims. Please contact Jet Tec at Free Phone No. 0800.660.077 or visit www. jettec.com for more information.

March 2012 |

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OEM News

Hewlett-Packard, Fuji-Xerox plan printer plants in Asia

ollowing Canon and Brother, other OEMs may build printer factories in Asia, according to a report by the Bangkok Post. The Thailand paper claims that printer giant HP may invest USD $100 million to build an inkjet printer plant in Thailand. Fuji-Xerox is also planning to establish a plant in Thailand to build multifunctional printers. HP is considering the possibility of partnering with Cal-Comp Electronics (Thailand), Plc to build a printer factory in Thailand. The final decision will be made in the near future. “HP is now expanding its investment in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) and sees Thailand as a priority,” said M.R. Pongsvas Svasti, Thailand’s Industry Minister. These plans are evidence that companies desire to expand manufacturing factories in the Asia-Pacific excluding Japan, China and South Korea. Siting plants in that region is expected to lower costs and improve logistics. Fuji-Xerox already has a recycled product factory in Thailand. Sommart Bunyasunanond, a Vice-President of Fuji-Xerox (Thailand), says this plan largely depends on whether the Thai government increases monthly wages and flood management strategies. He adds that Thailand and Vietnam are two of four potential locations for their factories.

Canon to build laser printers in the Philippines

anon plans to invest 18 billion yen to establish a laser printer factory in the Philippines in order to meet the strong growth in demand worldwide. The new manufacturing unit will expand the company’s printer manufacturing capability. The laser printer market has displayed steady growth, with competitively priced models playing a central role, according to Canon. The expected increasing demand for laser printers has created a need for Canon to secure additional production capacity to remain competitive. The new company, Canon Business Machines (Philippines), Inc. will be located in the First Philippines Industrial Park in the city of Batangas. Canon has selected the Philippines to build a printer factory due to its ready supply of English-speaking workers. About 5,000 people are expected to be recruited by 2014. Canon plans to break ground for the new facility in April 2012 with plant operations scheduled to begin one year later in April 2013. Canon has two existing Philippines-based subsidiaries: Canon Information Technologies Philippines, Inc. (established August 1991) and Canon Marketing (Philippines), Inc. (established December 1996).

Kodak to halt digital camera production

n Fe b r u a r y 9 , E a s t m a n Kodak said it will no longer manufacture digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames. The move is expected to save the ailing, 132 year-old Rochester firm more than $100 million per year. Without revealing the number of jobs it will terminate, Kodak expects to take a charge of $30 million related

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to separation costs. Kodak expects to phase out the digital product lines in the first half of 2012. Through the 1990s, Kodak spent some $4 billion developing the photo technology inside most of today’s cellphones and digital devices. But a reluctance to ease its heavy financial reliance on film allowed rivals like Canon Inc. and Sony Corp. to rush into the fast-emerging digital arena. The immensely lucrative analog business Kodak worried about undermining was virtually erased in a decade by the filmless photography it invented. Today, the standalone digital camera faces stiff competition, as smartphone cameras gain broader use. Kodak owns patents that cover a number of basic functions in many smartphone

cameras. The company picked up $27 million in patent-licensing fees in the first half of 2011. It made about $1.9 billion from those fees in the previous three years combined. Kodak sees home photo printers, highspeed commercial inkjet presses, workflow software and packaging as the core of its future business. Since 2005, the company has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into new lines of inkjet printers. Once the digital camera business is phased out, Kodak said its consumer business will focus on printing. Kodak said it’s working with its retailers to ensure an orderly transition. The company will continue to honor product warranties and provide technical support for the discontinued products.

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OEM News

Protective overcoat from Kyocera

apanese OEM Kyocera has developed a protective overcoat for thermal print heads, which can reduce frictional resistanceby 50%. Kyocera says the new overcoat, called “KC-91,” can be applied to thin-film, thermal prin theads. In addition, KC-91 can improve the print speed and print quality of dye-sublimation printers, like self-service digital photo printing machines. The KC-91 overcoat offers anti-adhesive properties against residues that are approximately 6-times greater than Kyocera’s conventional overcoat. This reduces the formation of obstacles between the heat-producing portion and the ink ribbon, which allows even higher print speeds and better print quality, according to Kyocera. Kyocera claims the absolute value of the frictional resistance between the print head and ink ribbon is also reduced by a maximum of 30%. Furthermore, resistance to adhesion of residues (burnt deposits of ink or ink ribbon back-coated agents) has been increased by approximately sixfold, contributing to improvements in both print speed and print quality.

Epson releases 64-inch solvent printer

fter introducing the first generation solvent printer 4 years ago, Epson unveiled its next generation 64-inch solvent printer. The SureColor S30670 is the first ever solvent-based printer to use the EPSON MicroPiezo TFP print head. Epson’s MicroPiezo TFP print head delivers droplet sizes as small as 4.2 picoliters therby enabling the doubling of nozzle density of Epson’s previous solvent printer, the company claims. The SureColor S30670 is a four-color solvent printer (CMYK) leveraging new EPSON UltraChromeGS2 solvent-based ink technology. Developed exclusively by Epson, UltraChrome GS2 includes a newly formulated yellow ink that can produce prints with up to three years of outdoor durability without lamination. In addition, these new inks deliver virtually odorless printing without the need for external dryers, special ventilation or air purification systems. Further, they do not contain nickel (Ni) compounds, which help to reduce the impact on the environment and potential harm to employees. Reed Hecht, Product Manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America, Inc. says: “The new SureColor S30670 offers advancements in print head and ink technology to deliver higher quality printing, faster and better, at an extreme overall value.”

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Global Imaging Systems acquires RK Dixon

lobal Imaging Systems (Tampa, FL), a Xerox Company, has acquired Davenport, Iowa-based RK Dixon, a leading provider of IT services, copiers, printers and managed print services (MPS) with locations in 7 Iowa and Illinois cities. The acquisition furthers GIS’ coverage of Central Illinois and Eastern Iowa, building on the company’s strategy to create a nationwide network of locally based companies focused on customers’ needs to improve business performance through efficiencies. “RK Dixon has built a trusted reputation in Iowa and Illinois, and together we are bringing a powerhouse of technology and services that will help customers operate as productively and seamlessly as possible,” said Tom Salierno, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of GIS. RK Dixon will immediately add Xerox’s full range of office and printing technology and MPS to its portfolio. The company has distributed Canon, HP, Lanier, Lexmark, Samsung, and Riso, copiers, printers and multifunction devices in addition to providing document management and IT solutions. Bryan Dixon, President and CEO of RK Dixon says: “Aligning with GIS shows our customers we continue to be committed to reducing costs and driving better performance for them.” Bryan Dixon will remain as company President and CEO. Jeff Dixon will remain as President of Information Technology. RK Dixon has office locations in Davenport and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Bloomington, Champaign, Peoria, Rockford and Springfield, Illinois. About Global Imaging Systems Global Imaging Systems, A Xerox Company, is made up of regional core companies in the United States that sell and service document management systems such as printers, copiers and multifunction devices; network integration services; and electronic presentation systems. As an office technology dealer, GIS sells products from various suppliers including Xerox, Sharp and Konica Minolta. Xerox acquired GIS in 2007 and operates it as a wholly-owned subsidiary within Xerox’s North American operations.

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OEM News

Fuji-Xerox launches green solutions in Singapore

n Singapore, Fuji-Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd. launched green solutions, a environmentaly-friendly companion service to enhance the performance of their recently launched multifunction device (MFD), the ApeosPort-IV printer. Together, customers can enjoy reduced cost, electricity consumption and CO2 emission, The ApeosPort-IV printer is designed for corporate customers as well as small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Fuji-Xerox stated that by incorporating environmental design in both hardware and

software, sustainable Green Solutions brings the power of 3P’s in Paper Saving, Paperless Fax, and Power consumption control. The new ApeosPort-IV employs Fuji-Xerox’s latest eco-conscious technologies —Smart WelcomEyes, Smart Energy Management Technology, and high-speed reactivation from sleep mode—to save time and energy through motion sensors and power distribution, minimizing waiting time while giving users more time to complete other operations. Fuji-Xerox is targeting 2020 to reduce CO2

New All-In-Ones from Canon

n Europe, Canon launched three new affordable, wireless All-In-One (AIO) printer models—the PIXMA MX375, PIXMA MX435 and PIXMA MX515—for the small office home office (SOHO) environment. Canon claims the new printers feature WiFi connectivity—for easy scanning, copying, faxing and printing—fast printing speeds and new XL cartridges for reduced printing costs. The PIXMA MX515 also features a Dual Function Panel, 6.2 cm color TFT display and Auto Duplex printing. All three printers feature fast photo and document printing speeds. The MX435 and MX515 deliver enhanced ISO speeds of about 9.7 ipm mono and 5.5 ipm color, while MX375 delivers ISO speeds of about 8.7 ipm mono and 5.0 ipm color. Another three wireless AIO office printers at affordable price were launched in America. The three printers are the MX512 AIO, MX432 AIO and the MX372 AIO. Also available are the Canon Easy-PhotoPrint mobile app, for use with compatible Apple and Android smart phones and tablets. This app allows users to scan the documents and directly send it to compatible devices. Canon says all three printers deliver high-quality output with the print resolution up to 4800 x 1200 dpi. The print speed is about 9.7 ipm (inches per minute) for black-and-white documents and 5.5 ipm for color. With many people making the decision to work from home, it is more important than ever to have a printer you can rely on to produce high-quality prints no matter the project,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. “Canon has recognized this trend and will continue to make products designed to satisfy the needs and wants of the end user.”

emissions in the entire life cycle of its activities by 30% from the 2005 level and by 7 million tons at its customers’ offices per annum. Koji Tezuka, Senior General Manager, Marketing, Fuji-Xerox Asia-Pacific, commented, “Fuji-Xerox’s commitment to the environment flows down our value chain with the creation and spreading of Green Solutions and devices. We aspire to help customers achieve both environmental and business benefits by increasing productivity through reducing CO2 emissions and costs.”

Konica Minolta unveils high volume printers

onica Minolta has developed two multifunctional printers (MFPs) which offer a broad range of innovative applications. The new printers—bizhub C754/C654

Color MFP Series—feature the Konica Minolta INFO-Palette design, a new touch-screen interface allowing more advanced accessibility than ever before. The bizhub C754 can print up to 60 pages per minute (ppm) in color and 75 ppm in black-and-white. The bizhub C654 can print up to 60 ppm in color and 65 ppm in black-and-white, according to the company. The bizhub C754/ C654 series also includes, standard dual scanning, powerful finishing options, flexible paper handling and spectacular high-impact color, making it ideal for high-volume document applications of all types. “Combining innovative new design and functionality features, the bizhub C754/C654 series brings the two key elements of speed and high-impact color to businesses of any size, while also offering a broad range of advanced capabilities that address the needs of the entry level production user. to redefine productivity,” said Kevin Kern, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc.

March 2012 |

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Features

LED printers VS. lasers & solid ink jets By Art Diamond, Diamond Research Corporation LED (light-emitting diode) printing—invented by Casio, championed by OKI and used by Brother, Dell, Fuji-Xerox, Kyocera, Lexmark, Océ, Siemens, Xeikon and Xerox—was touted as the next big thing in electrophotography in the 1980s. Now, more than 30 years later, it has found applications extending from low-end, 4 page-per-minute personal printers to huge, digital printing presses that can produce more than 700 ppm. It also advanced from low resolution (300 dpi and 600 dpi) to high resolution (1200 x 2400 dpi) printing capable of competing for fine graphic arts and photographic applications. This technology received a boost in March 2009 with the launch of the Xerox WorkCentre 7425/7428/7435 products. These multifunction printers upgraded existing LED technology by eliminating some of its drawbacks. The Xerox 7400 Series printers leveraged the advantages of LED versus conventional laser systems, i.e., fewer moving parts, a smaller, more compact unit, plus exceptional mechanical reliability and affordability. To these were added higher image resolution (up to 1200 x 2400 dpi), outstanding image sharpness, microfine size, chemical color toner technology, and quieter, more environmentally friendly operation. Initially, LED printing did not revolutionize imaging technology; rather it was a useful and profitable development that carved out an important niche in the printing industry. Introduction of the Xerox 7400 Series, however, and the latest Xerox 7800 entry, have upgraded LED printing to revolutionary status, in my opinion, by “re-inventing” the technology. What follows is a comparison of three competing technologies—LED printing, conventional laser, and solid ink

jet. Each method offers different price/performance value propositions. All are successful in the particular applications they serve and all will likely sustain their positions in the near future, although LED printing could become a front runner in the race for a share of office, commercial, transactional, and other printing markets. “It is important to note,” claims Dr. Brian E. Springett of Fingerpost Advisers (Boulder, CO), “that each of the three technologies has its own competitive advantages in the market place provided they are well-integrated into the overall system design.

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LED printers LED technology produces results competitive with conventional laser printing and uses the same fundamental electrophotographic (EPGraphic) imaging process involving the application of toner to paper or other media. The imaging element is a rotating drum carrying a photoreceptive coating. After receiving a blanket electrostatic charge, the drum is selectively exposed to individual flashes of light from the LED printhead. In light-struck, pixel areas the charge is dissipated thereby creating a latent image consisting of a pattern of dots that corresponds to the digital image. That invisible image is converted to a visible one by the application of toner particles which adhere to the drum in discharged areas. The developed image is then transferred to a substrate, such as paper, and then fused in place by the application of heat. LED printers function by means of a fixed array of diodes serve as the exposing source. Typically, more than 5,000 LEDs cover the entire axial length of the drum in a page-wide array. According to Dr. Springett, “A 600 dpi LED printer will have 600 LEDs per inch, over the required page width, with the light from each LED being precisely focused onto the photoreceptive coating on the rotating drum by a longitudinal lens. The entire row of LEDs is activated at once and repetitive activations allow the pixels to be overlapped in the direction of paper transport.” By comparison, Dr. Springett continues, “The advantage is that a row of LEDs is less expensive to build than a

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Features

laser beam directed upon the light-sensitive drum through a series of optical components (lenses and mirrors) precisely aligned. A laser system requires that the focused laser beam be swept across the drum and switched on and off according to where the pixels need to be written. Both systems require additional electronics in order to keep the timing of these operations phased to the required image requirements and drum rotation. Additional timing electronics are required for in-line, four color printing systems in order to keep each color plane correctly aligned when transferred to paper.” The simplicity of the LED system affords a cheaper alternative to conventional laser printers. The LED system has the benefit of being more compact and lighter in weight than conventional lasers. Further, because it comprises a bar, fixed in place, unexpected changes in alignment are not an issue. “Initially,” Springett explains, “achieving uniform light intensity across more than 5,000 diodes in a typical array was a major challenge. This is no longer the case as today’s LED assemblies can be manufactured to deliver light output within 1.0% to 2.0% of specification across the entire array of more than 10,000 diodes. Additionally, in operation they are driven by ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) chips which allow for digital correction of any remaining misalignments.” That feat was accomplished by Fuji Xerox and Nippon Electric Glass Co., Ltd. Working together they developed a printhead that solved LED’s print quality issues and enabled development of Xerox’s HiQ LED based WorkCentre7425/7428/7435 Multifunction Devices. One pivotal achievement of the team effort was to pair ASIC chips with the LED bar to control the intensity and timing of the flashing diodes thereby ensuring uniformity across the entire array and producing consistently high print quality. In more recent years both Okidata and Fuji Xerox have achieved higher efficiency LED arrays (i.e., more light output for less power input, which is a requisite for higher printing speed operation), as well as multi-level light intensity per LED, which enables the enhanced print quality necessary to meet customer acceptability requirements for color printing. Until recently, laser image writing was the clear leader in

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resolution and also in clever ways to alter the way pixels were written. This capability produced improvements in the more subtle aspects of print quality, such as achieving smooth, fine lines and uniform, low density solids, as are required for some skin tones and highlight areas on shiny objects. The principal disadvantage of early LED technology was that the horizontal resolution was absolutely fixed, and while some resolution enhancements could be applied, none of them were as good as the resolution upgrades offered by true lasers, or the latest solid ink jet printers. That disadvantage vanished first, with the introduction of the 7400 series printers, and again on November 9, 2011, when Xerox rolled out its Phaser 7800. These two full-color, state-of-the-art LED printers use Xerox’s HiQ LED, high resolution technology to deliver 1200 x 2400 dpi at the rate of 35 and 45 ppm, respectively. With thousands of diodes comprising the LED bar, there exists the likelihood of one or more diodes failing. Such an event would render the entire bar unserviceable. According to Xerox, its HiQ LEDs “are engineered to never need replacement and the printhead is designed to last the life of the device.” At the Fall COMDEX conference in 1998, PC Computing magazine honored Lexmark with its Technology of the Year award for the Optra Color 1200n, an LED printer that achieves the same page printing speed for either monochrome or color imaging. This is accomplished by having completely separate processes for each color. This 600 x 600 dpi printer was priced at $5,999 and rated at 12 ppm for either monochrome or color imaging. It features four complete printheads arranged in-line. The CMY and K toner cartridges are laid out down the paper path with each unit having its own drum photoreceptor. Above each unit in the printer’s lid are four LED arrays—again, one for each color. At the other end of the resolution spectrum is Océ Printing Systems’ Model 2140 which is capable of printing up to 420 ppm at 300 dpi using LED technology. This digital printing press, found an important application in transactional printing (e.g., bank statements, invoices, credit card transactions). It accepts either roll-fed or continuous forms paper. With an LED array that is 17” wide, two letter-sized pages can be printed side-by-side simultaneously. Advantages Here are some of the advantages cited for LED based EPGraphic printers: • Printhead is compact and light in weight. • Printhead is solid-state, therefore printer has fewer moving parts.

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Features • Printer is inexpensive as a page-wide LED printhead is relatively cheap to produce. • Straight-line paper path is less prone to jams. • Fused image is robust and durable. • Multiple aftermarket toner sources are available. • Fixed printhead position rules out alignment problems. • Consumes less power than conventional laser printers. • High speed printing is possible. • Duplex (2-sided) printing is also possible. On the other hand, the challenges faced by hardware designers include: Challenges • Limited useful life of LED printhead due to frequent switching. • Entire LED bar shuts down if only one diode fails. • Full color printing is complex. • Matching the print quality of the conventional offset printing press. Laser printers Laser printers are adapted to color by using cyan, magenta, yellow and black imaging stations, either in-line or in-tandem, to produce the entire color gamut. Four passes through the EPGraphic process are performed either by sequential toner development or by building up the four-color image on an intermediate transfer drum or belt prior to transfer. In high speed presses designed to compete with offset printing, other types of toner, including white, have been developed. Advantages • High resolution is possible with precise beam focusing. • Many aftermarket sources of toner are available. • High speed printing is possible. • Fused image is robust and durable. • Multiple aftermarket toner sources are available. • Duplex printing is possible. Challenges • Laser, lens and mirror optical systems can be delicate • and become misaligned. • Full color printing is complex. • Maintaining color consistency over long runs is a challenge.

or phase-change ink, in ink jet printing was pioneered and patented in the early 1980s at Exxon Enterprises’ Danbury Systems Division. The company made an office printer based on phase-change inkjet called the Exxon 965. When Exxon Office Systems folded in 1985, Dataproducts acquired the rights to the technology and announced a color printer, called the Jolt, based on solid ink technology in 1988, but had little success with it. Tektronix later licensed the technology from Dataproducts. From a commercial viewpoint, it would be fair to credit Tektronix, as few of the Exxon 965 or Dataproducts Jolt printers were ever sold. In 1991,Tektronix, Inc. of Beaverton, Oregon released its Phaser III, winning awards and recognition from PC Magazine, MacUser and MacWorld that year. The Phaser III has 16 ink jets per color (CMY ) and 48 jets for black. It is capable of printing an 8.5 x 11-inch page in just under two minutes. The initial price for a Phaser III, at $10,000 USD, was too high for most offices and therefore was mainly utilized in the commercial printing industry. But, the price decreased rapidly in the ensuing years so that the technology is quite competitive today against other machines in its class. Despite its advantages, this early solid ink printer had several obvious drawbacks. First, the Phaser III’s heavy printhead (1.8 kg) required a sturdy table to prevent it from “walking” across the room when the printhead shuttled back and forth to create images directly on the media. Most of the time consumed in the printing operation was spent in decelerating the printhead, stopping, and then accelerating it in the reverse direction. There were other problems such as, ink drop placement error and the inconsistency of secondary colors. So future development of solid ink printing focused

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Solid ink jet Solid ink jet printing, also known as phase change ink jet, utilizes ink sticks instead of liquid inks for image creation. When heated, these inks transform from a solid to a liquid phase for spraying from a series of ink jet nozzles comprising

the printhead. The molten ink image instantly solidifies on the media being printed so that no drying is necessary. This technology is unique in the digital printing arena and has been refined and perfected to the point where it is highly competitive in cost and performance with conventional ink jet and dry toner methods, especially for color print generation. Consultant Thomas Ashley stated “the use of solid ink,

March 2012 |

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Features on the simplification of paper handling and the paper path. A key innovation was made in 1995, when Tektronix utilized the offset printing method. The new printer used a rapid and precise ink jet printhead to replace the oscillating one and to spray the ink streams onto a rapidly spinning drum where the image is built up in multiple passes. The image is next transferred from the drum to the media. Since the paper can go straight through the printer in what is essentially an offset printing process, the new approach greatly simplified the paper path, but, it also placed additional demands upon ink performance. The ink must be tough and clean at ambient temperature. It must also have a low melt viscosity so that it can be sprayed through the fine jets. Finally, the ink must “freeze” (solidify) on the spinning drum surface quickly and then be transferred completely to the paper or film media during the offset transfer step. These requirements add up to a sophisticated, hightechnology ink composition, it also enabled Tektronix to protect their invention with a forest of patents. Outstanding among their team of scientists is Dr. Donald R. Titterington who, as inventor or co-inventor, has been awarded more than 130 U.S. patents mostly on solid ink jet ink formulation, preparation and use. In 2001, Xerox acquired the Color Printing and Imaging Division of Tektronix and made the solid ink jet technology an important part of the Xerox product line. Xerox has steadily improved the technology and the hardware, adding correction software, ColorSync, Adobe PostScript 3 and other features. Today, with Media Sciences exiting the replacement ink stick business, Xerox and Katun Corporation are the only sources offering solid ink sticks to the aftermarket. Advantages As an imaging technology designed for full color printing, the keys to producing high image quality are the ink jets’ consistency and the interlacing method for generating each set of parallel lines. The advantages of solid ink jet over laser or liquid ink jet printing are: • Simple design. The device consists of just three major parts: the printhead, the print drum and the controller. This simplified design reduces the chance of failure. • Easy to use. There is no need to remove or install the printhead and therefore no spilling. A short paper path reduces the chance of jamming. Solid ink sticks are easy and clean for convenient installation by the end user. • Wide range of applicable media. Solid ink can form images on various media.

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• Faster than conventional office ink jet printing. Elimination of drying time enables current models to output up to 55 pages per minute. • Brilliant color. The solid ink does not penetrate into the paper media hence images are held up on the surface • Less waste. The printhead of a solid ink jet printer is a permanent part that does not have to be replaced frequently. • Environmentally friendly. Solid ink sticks are made from bio-based rosin (a pine tree resin derivative) rather than a petro-based resin. The sticks are non-toxic, therefore safe for handling. There is no ozone emission as occurs in the electrophotographic processes. Challenges Although solid ink technology is quite suitable for office or workgroup users, the technology presents several challenges: • Long warm-up time. These devices generally take several minutes to print from a cold start • Power consumption. About 50 watts are needed to maintain the solid ink above its solidification point, even in the sleep mode • Excessive ink usage. A vacuum pump is used to purge the printhead, and some excessive inks will flush into a waste tray. However, all four colors of inks are dumped in the same tray which consequently formed a single solid mass that cannot be recycled • Damage from moving. Moving the printer before cool down is completed can damage its components • Print durability and permanence. There is the possibility that the print can be scraped off. Also, the organic dyes and colorants used in solid inks render them sensitive to fading under ultraviolet light exposure • More than one source of ink sticks? Heavily patented ink technology may preclude an aftermarket source. • Difficulty in matching the high printing speed of lightdriven (laser and LED) systems. • Duplex printing presents a challenge.

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Features

A primer on OPC drum technology By Mr. Zu Quangao, Engineer, Forever Technology Co, Ltd. A printer or copier is used to transport tiny powder particles or ink droplets image wise, onto a paper, film or fabric substrate. Laser printers use toner, the colored powder stored in toner cartridges. Today’s all-in-one (AIO) cartridges contain toner and a mechanism to move the toner which is unable to move by itself. Certain devices are employed to carry it precisely to the designated position on the light-sensitive imaging surface. Photoconductive drums perform this function as the most common and widely-used “transporter”. When “photoconductive,” or “photoreceptive,” drums are mentioned, people first think of “OPCs”. But are these two the same? The answer is “No.” In fact, OPC is just one kind of photoreceptive drum. Other materials such as amorphous selenium (α-Se), arsenic triselenide (Se3As2), selenium-tellurium (SexTey) alloys, cadmium sulfide (CdS), and amorphous silicon (α-Si), have all been used on drums, flexible belts, and flat plates. OPC, an acronym for Organic Photo-Conductor, consists of photoreceptive and conductive substances dispersed or dissolved in a resin matrix. Many people tend to call these imaging elements “drums.” Among various drums, most are single-function, multilayer photoconductors that accept a negative charge; some are multi-function single layer photoconductors that accept a positive charge; and, a few can charge either negative or positive. This article focuses on the drums that charge negative as they are the most prevalent photoreceptors in digital printing devices. According to Picture 1, an OPC drum is mainly comprised of four components: 1. a driving end; 2. an aluminum base; 3. one or more organic coatings; and, 4. a ground contact. The

coated layers can be generally divided into a base coating, a charge generation layer (CGL), a charge transport layer (CTL), and an enhancement layer (also known as a cover or protective layer). Driving end Normally, the OPC drum in a toner cartridge is driven in one the following three ways: • Gear connection between printer and OPC • Rigid connection between the printer drive shaft and the OPC connection shaft • Flexible connection between the printer drive shaft and the OPC connection shaft

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▲b

▲c ▲ Picture2 Three driven ways of OPC drum

In the third case, the OPC connection shaft can move about at any angle. There are other ways of connection, but generally speaking, Drum rotation is actuated by the printer. Further, OPC gears will normally drive other parts inside the toner cartridge, such as, the magnetic roller (jumping development) ▲ Picture1 Componennts of OPC drum

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and the developer roller (contact development).

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Features Aluminum base To be exact, this component could be called “the parent metal,” a part that supports the coating and enables electrons to travel through to ground (earth). It has been said that electrophotography can be described as “the controlled release to ground of electrostatic charges in light-struck image areas.” In fact, any conductive material can be used as a base, but considering malleability, surface quality, price and weight, aluminum or aluminum alloys are the most popular. With formability, malleability, rigidity and corrosion resistance taken into account, aluminum-manganese or aluminum-manganesesilicon alloys are most commonly used. These alloys, as inclusions, will form some intermetallic compounds and crystals in the aluminum material and even cause boundaries between crystalline interfaces. Sometimes, the aluminum drum will display resistance in the mirror finishing process, causing cracks, sags and crests or even scratches on the surface. In addition, sensitivity to the storage environment, can result in the formation of an oxide film on the drum surface. The formation of this film depends on the ambient conditions, such as, temperature, humidity, and time. Different degrees of oxidation will lead to differences in interfacial tension between the aluminum surface and the base coating, resulting in an uneven coating. To avoid this, and to ensure a high quality drum, an anodic oxidation treatment is necessary. Anodic oxidation includes both an oxidation and a sealing procedure. In the former process the aluminum material serves as the positive pole when an electric current is externally applied. It then forms an oxide film while bathed in an electrolyte solution under specific conditions. This oxide film always has an internal and an external layer. The inside one, made of anhydrous Al2O3, is thin but compact, and is also known as a barrier-layer or active layer. It serves to block current flow with its high electrical resistivity. Without

such resistance, the aluminum drum will rapidly dissipate to ground any static charge on the OPC layer. The charge will soon disappear and development will not be possible. At the same time, the CGL electrons must flow to ground in a controlled manner. As a result, the treatment applied to this layer is extremely crucial. The thick, but porous external layer, formed by amorphous Al2O3, Al2O3·H2O, and negative ions in the electrolyte, has many minute holes and apertures in its interfacial cells. These will sharply increase the surface area and strengthen the chemical activity of this layer, making contaminant absorption easier and corrosion resistance weaker. Consequently, a sealing treatment is necessary to improve the anodic aluminum oxide film. The holes are closed through absorption and chemical reactions, turning the newly-formed chemically active film into an inert one to strengthen the aging and corrosion resistance of the alumina film as well as the insulating properties of the anode film, especially in a damp environment. Coatings Laser interference resistance layer As is well known, when an object is irradiated, some of the light will be absorbed, some will reflect or scatter, and the rest will be refracted. Less surface roughness is accompanied by more light reflection and higher gloss. Higher roughness results in more light scattering and lower gloss. The OPC drum, in fact, functions through photoemission, which leads to light reflection on the aluminum drum. Without treatment, some unexpected spots appear on the surface of the OPC. To prevent this, a light extinction treatment is necessary to eliminate gloss, increase surface roughness and thereby achieve less light reflection. There are two kinds of extinction. (a)physical extinction, such as, mirror polishing Before anodic oxidation, mirror polishing on the aluminum material surface will produce some rough laser interference resistance waves so as to increase light scattering and reduce reflection. The governing equation for optical interference is, h = λ / cos α ...... (1) where, h = surface roughness λ = wavelength of incident light, and α = angle of incidence

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This equation, usually applied to anodized aluminum drums, yields the roughness value of the base material, after the anodic oxidation procedure. It is equal to the wavelength of the laser beam, and thus will eradicate the reflected light March 2012 |

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Features equation, E = h ×μ ......(2) where, E = the energy of the electron after photon irradiation E’= the binding energy H = a constant μ = the frequency.of the laser light, and

according to the optical interference theory. (b)chemical extinction, by covering the pre-coating layer Chemical extinction can achieve low gloss by introducing to the coating some structures or radicals that can absorb light. Among the many possible additive materials are the following resins: • Polymethyl methacrylate • Polyethylene • Polypropylene • Acrylic resin • Polycarbonate • Water-soluble ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer • Casein This method does not apply to anodized aluminum drums, but to those that can transmit light through the CGL and CTL coatings. This pre-coating layer, sometimes called the “resistance layer,” can block the migration of free charges from the CGL to the aluminum base. It also enhances the OPC’s resistance to electrical breakdown. Moreover, this layer can strengthen the CGL so as to prevent exfoliation of OPC’s coated layers. Accordingly, anodic oxidation performs the same function as adding a pre-coating layer. These two will not appear at the same time. Deciding which one should be chosen depends on the specific requirements of quality and cost. Generally speaking, anodic oxidation will have a higher cost but deliver better print quality. CGL (charge generation layer) A light-sensitive, charge generating material (CGM), is the operative component of this layer as it converts light energy into electrical energy. In practice, the CGL ranges in from 0.2 to 5.0 microns (μm) on most OPC drums, with a 2.0 μm thickness the quite common. Upon light exposure, the CGM undergoes a photoelectric effect by generating a positive or negative charge. Of course, this can only happen under certain conditions given by the

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When E - E’ > 0, electrons break through the restraint of the atomic nucleus. According to this equation, the photoelectric effect of the CGL depends upon light of a certain frequency, in other words, wavelength is related to the electron energy generated. As a result, in order to produce the right amount of energy, each OPC drum must correspond to a specific wavelength. In other words, different models are designed for different wavelengths. In the photoelectric process the radiation of concentrated light quanta causes organo-metallic particles to create enough electron energy to exceed the binding energy of the atomic nucleus. The result is an energy level transition, suddenly generating concentrated charge carrier pairs (electrons and holes) which, influenced by the high electric field, are dissociated into free carriers (free electrons and holes). Of course, the more energy absorbed by the CGMs, the more carriers will be released. Thus, greater illuminance (also known as luminous intensity) increases the luminous flux each unit area receives. The thicker the charge generating layer, the more carriers can be released. This is represented by the sensitivity (E½) of the OPC, expressed in units of microjoules per square centimeter (μJ/cm2), In other words, E½ is the specific exposure an OPC needs to decline its surface potential to half of its initial charge (expressed in volts). In the CGL coating, light-sensitive organo-metallic pigments are dispersed in a resin/solvent solution, producing a blend resembling a paint. Very crucial in the CGL coating preparation is how finely it is ground and what additives are used to ensure the dispersion is stable, has a long print life and demonstrates a high productivity of carriers upon exposure to a proper light source. Adhesive-like resins serve to avoid the exfoliation of this layer. Commonly, CGMs are chosen from the following organic semiconductors: • polycyclic quinones • polyazo compounds • phthalocyanines • Quayle compounds At present, polyazo and phthalocyanine materials, especially the titanyl phthalocyanines, are popular. Such materials, when there’s no irradiation, has few

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Features internal carriers but a very high resistance value. It resembles an insulator with charges deposited on its surface. However, when irradiated by light of a certain wavelength, it will reach its light absorption peak. At this peak, the photoreceptor reaches its maximum conductivity. The larger illuminance, the greater number of carriers are generated, hence photoconductivity can increase geometrically. CTL (charge transport layer) The charge transport layer (CTL) is a film of an organic semiconductor material which is used to transport the charges generated in the CGL above it, or on the OPC’s outer surface. The CGL layer, typically 20 μm thick, lies above the CTL. It is a transparent coating formed by the charge transport material dissolved in a proper resin or blend of tough resins such as the polycarbonates. There are two kinds of charge transport materials (CTMs): one is used for electron transport and typically contains compounds such as, • Tri-nitro fluorenone • Tetra-nitro fluorenone • Di-nitro anthracene • Di-nitro acridine • Dinitroanthraquinone, • poly-N-vinyl carbazole • triarylmethane The other CTM is used for hole transport and is based upon organic compounds such as, • pyrazolin

will be blocked when they penetrate this junction. Charges will accumulate around this interface, causing an increase of carriers and a reduction in carrier productivity and transport efficiency. The result is a rise in bright area potential and a decrease in dark space with darker background and a lower color density. Moreover, extended exposure, electrical energy consumption and repetitive recharging will gradually change the CGL and CTL materials along the interface, causing changes in carrier productivity and transport efficiency, and thus poor print quality. This is also known as OPC drum

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• hydrazone • Triphenylamine • Dibenzylaniline • diphenylethylene Solvents used in the CTL must be capable of dissolving the CTMs. These solvents must be compatible with the charge transport material which is precipitated upon drying. In single-layer OPC drums, where CGMs and CTMs are combined, photoreceptors can accomplish the transition and transport of charge carriers. Such transport can be discontinuous, or jumping, so there will hardly be any lateral drift of photo-carriers. Fundamentally speaking, with irradiation, electrons in the semiconductors penetrate the band gap and change its conductivity. In other words, under the action of light, electrons will absorb photon energy and be freed from their original bound state. Consequently, as the carrier transport rate increases, so does conductivity. This is exhibited by the OPC drums electronic exposure, also known as photo-potential, measured in units of volts that can be sustained on the drum surface after having

been charged to a certain charge acceptance potential and irradiated by a certain amount (e.g., 0.5μ J/cm2) of light. If the conductivity is too low, electrons cannot be transported to the expected position at the pre-set moment, which will increase the capacitance, cause difficulty in erasing the image, and thus produce a poor print. On the contrary, the electrons will disappear so fast that the image cannot stay, which will lead to poor print quality. Besides, the high insulating value of the CTL prior to light exposure, the charges on its surface will, to some extent dissipate. This loss in potential is expressed as the dark decay rate (DDR), measured in volts per second. One explanation for the DDR is that the drum rotation causes friction between the OPC surface and despite the good insulation of the CTL before exposure, the charges on its surface still, to some extent, run off. One explanation for this decay is that drum rotation causes friction between the OPC and the print paper or charge roller and thus generates some heat, which will increase kinetic energy and scattering of electrons. Of course, this is related to the conductivity and thickness of the coating. As a result, though charged with the same amount of static charges, (represented by the initial charge acceptance, V0), However, with different CGL and CTL materials, thicknesses or surface treatment of the aluminum drums, the OPC will have different charge acceptance. If the CGL/CTL interface is not handled properly, electrons

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Features fatigue. Finally, the CTL tends to have a chemical reaction with hand lotions, cleansing crèmes, automobile waxes, and other treatments, causing corrosion, or damage to the coated layer. It is important to note that this can happen within a short period of time. Also, the directly-connected charging roller has a degasification tendency (a problem, especially with doublelayer rollers) or molecular infiltration which compromises OPC drum performance.

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▲b ▲ Picture3 Conductive ground contact

Enhancement layer The OPC surface must have some abrasion resistance or toughness in order to bear the mechanical wear during image transfer and cleaning. In actual operation, OPCs are replaced primarily for this damage. As a result, some OPCs now have one more abrasion- and age-resistant coating layer. Called an “overcoat,” it incorporates a polycarbonate resin, such as Bayer’s Makrolon as the major component and is applied to the CTL to prolong its life. OPC conductive ground contact Normally, either the connecting gear or the opposite end of the connection shaft of the OPC is its conductive ground terminal. The structure can be seen in Picture 5, 6. The conducting strip connects the internal surface of the aluminum drum to drain the OPC charges to ground. The conducting strip is connected with the conductive shaft pin, and the shaft pin with the conductive ground terminal. Through this pathway, the charges can be directed to ground. Hopefully, through the foregoing analysis of OPC construction, composition, and performance, our readers will be motivated to continue to build their knowledge by learning more about OPC drum technology.

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April 18 – 19, 2012

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Paperworld Middle East

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Features

Reviewing OEM financial reports for 2011 By the end of the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2011, forecasts for the global economy remained uncertain. In the United States, employment conditions and housing problems lacked any improvement. In Europe, the sovereign debt crisis had an impact on the economy leading to a slowdown in recovery. Emerging markets, such as China and India, maintained a high growth rate, but there were concerns over the effects of tight monetary policies. Japan was still struggling to recover from severe earthquakes and tsunamis. Downswings in the economy and the natural disasters, such as the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake and the massive flood in Thailand in October, all took their toll on the financial performance of companies in the imaging industry. This was especially true of major Japanese OEMs. Canon, Epson, KonicaMinolta and Lexmark released their quarterly or yearly financial reports at the end of January 2012. Let’s take a close look at their reports to determine how these OEMs coped with the ensuing market fluctuations. Canon Canon released its 2011 financial year report on January 30, 2012. Against a backdrop of slow economic recovery and the challenges brought by the Great East Japan Earthquake, turbulence in Europe, rapid appreciation of the Japanese yen, and the devastation brought by floods in Thailand, Canon’s market remained generally strong; but, there were signs of a slowdown in foreign markets, particularly in Europe, toward year-end 2011. Through cost reduction and expense efficiency, Canon improved its gross profit ratio from 48.1% in 2010 to 48.8% in 2011, although its net sales decreased by 4% compared to fiscal year 2010, totalling 3,557.4 billion yen (U.S. $45,608 million). In 2011, sales for Canon’s Office Business Unit, including office network digital multifunction devices (MFDs); color network digital MFDs; personal-use network digital MFDs; office copying machines; full-color copying machines; personal-use copying machines; laser printers; large format inkjet printers; and digital production printers; totalled ¥1,917.9 billion yen (U.S.$24,589 million). After taking into account the yen’s appreciation, which significantly impacted sales, revenues for 2011 declined 3.5% year-on-year ( YOY ) from 2010 to 2011. As for the markets in which Canon operates amid these conditions, within the office equipment market, demand for color network

digital multifunction devices (MFDs) showed growth in all regions around the globe. As seen in Figure 1, the actual sales by unit of color copiers had an impressive 14% growth in the fourth quarter of 2011, and the annual growth also reached 11%. In published reports, Canon points out that MFDs, such as the imageRUNNER ADVANCE C5000/C2000-series models, led to increased sales volumes of color and monochrome network digital MFDs compared with the previous year. Sales of imagePRESS C7010VPS-series color MFDs for production printing, the first machines to be jointly developed by Canon and Océ, gained momentum and contributed to increased unit sales of production printing devices. As for laser printers, while robust demand in emerging markets fuelled unit sales growth of primarily monochrome models in the first half of the year, demand slowed in the second half, mainly in European markets. Monochrome laser printer’s year-on-year growth in 2011 reached 10% despite the fact that unit sales fell by 9% in the Q4. Color laser printer’s growth rate picture is the opposite of monochrome, although

▲ Figure1 Canon’s office equipment unit growth rate

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Features

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is one of the special factors identified for the decrease in sales. The sluggish global economy, the Japanese earthquake, the flooding in Thailand, and the effects of foreign exchange also contributed to Epson’s less desirable financial report. Epson’s printer business gained some growth momentum in Q3 2011. Sales for this segment reached ¥159.5 billion yen. Although the figure is much better than the previous two quarters, respectively ¥127.2 billion yen in Q1 and ¥128.3 billion yen in Q2, compared to same time last year, sales declined by 8.8 billion yen. According to the Epson report, despite the increase in inkjet printer unit shipments, net sales in this segment declined. The decrease is attributed to a reduction in consumables volume driven by the economic slowdown. Epson further explained that manufacturing delays caused by ▲ Figure2 Canon Office Equipment actual sales values the earthquake in Japan and floods in Thailand the annual growth decreased by 3%, the fourth quarter sales not only increased logistics costs, but also reduced the increased by 7%. number of units sold and a subsequent decline in the installed Overall demand for inkjet printers remained relatively base, which resulted in a decrease in and resulted in the unchanged owing to the steady growth of emerging decrease of consumables sales during the second half of 2011. economies. Although the floods in Thailand had a negative Epson launched a number of strategic new core products, impact on production, unit sales increased YOY by 2%. including business inkjet printers, compact models, and Given these trends, Canon showed great optimism in the printers equipped with a high-capacity ink tank system. Epson sales of copiers/MFDs in 2012. It projects that color copiers/ claimed that the sales of these products were “in line with MFDs will have a dramatic growth of 21% and monochrome their forecast despite a worsening market environment.” In copiers/MFDs will be up by 10%. As for laser printers, Canon addition, these new products helped improve the profitability projects unit sales of color laser printers will expand by of Epson’s inkjet printer hardware. 12% but the monochrome printer will shrink slightly by 2%. Epson’s page printer unit shipments grew on the The company predicts the market for inkjet printers remains stable, with only 1% growth on a unit basis. Epson Epson issued its third quarter financial report on January 31, 2012, as its fiscal year (FY ) ends in March 2012. Net sales for Epson in the first three quarters of FY 2011 were ¥664.6 billion yen, operating income was ¥21.1 billion yen, and net income was ¥300 million yen. Compared with the prior year, net sales declined by 84 billion yen and operating income by 18 billion yen. The termination of small and medium-sized display business

▲ Figure3 Epson quarterly net sales comparison: Q3 2010 vs Q3 2011 March 2012 |

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Features popularity of new products, but net sales still shrank mainly due to a combination of lower consumables volume and the effects of yen appreciation. Dot-matrix printers did not perform very well either, because of the slowing demand in China, where dot-matrix printers are used in tax collection systems. The net sales of POS-related products were hurt by the constrained spending by major retailers in advanced countries, though sales to smaller retailers in the Americas and China grew steadily. In the third quarter, net sales of inkjet printers accounted for 73% of total printer sales, up 2% over revenues the same time last year; page printers comprised 10%; and, business system 15%, or 2% less than Q3 2010. In its financial report, Epson also revealed that inkjet printer demand varied by region. In Japan, the market grew compared to the same period last year, in part due to recovery demand that followed in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami. At the same time, consumables unit volume grew in Japan. In Europe the market was flat, however, and in America it declined. Against this background, Epson adopted different strategies in each of the various markets. In Japan, sales of high value added, high-volume printers were prioritized as demand for these products rose as a result of supply issues faced by its competitors. In Europe and America Epson introduced a series of competitive new products, and in Asia Epson concentrated on high-capacity ink tank models. With less than satisfactory figures in the first three quarters of 2011, Epson revised their full-year financial outlook. The OEM downgraded its net sales outlook by ¥27 billion yen so that it now stands at ¥880 billion, among which the full-year net sales for information-related equipment was tuned down to ¥694 billion yen. However, Epson is still targeting unit sales of 15 million inkjet printers by the end of the fourth quarter, which was set at the beginning of the year. It will also look to ensure growth in consumables by steadily expanding printer sales. Konica Minolta Despite the negative effects of a strong yen, the earthquake in Japan and the floods in Thailand, Konica Minolta reported an increase in net sales as well as operating income in its Q3 reports for FY 2011, which ends in March 2012. Konica Minolta’s businesses are

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categorized as Business Technologies, Optics, Healthcare, and other segments. Business Technologies takes up about 80% of the company’s total revenue. It is the strong performance of this one segment that contributes most to the company’s growth. Therefore we will focus on the company’s Business Technologies operations. Konica divides its Business Technologies into two portions: production printing and office printing. According to its report, the production printing and office color MFPs had the most outstanding performance. In Q3 2011, net sales of business technologies reached ¥131.9 billion rising ¥1.6 billion over FY 2010, YOY. Excluding the effects of the strong yen, sales rose 7%. In the office printing field, sales of color MFPs remained strong in all regions. The net sales of office products reached ¥107.3 billion yen in Q3 2011, with a total of ¥327.3 billion yen in the first three quarters. If the effects of exchange rates are excluded (see Figure 4), net sales actually increased 4% YOY. In terms of net sales of office products, the Japanese market was flat without growth compared to the same period last year. Europe increased 3%, China 4%, and surprisingly, the US market enjoyed a 10% growth. However, over a 9-month period, China had the best performance, with 12% growth. Among all office products, color A3-sized MFPs for office was very strong throughout the term. In the third quarter, the units of A3 color MFPs sold rose by 16% YOY. The overall growth for the first three quarters is 9%. The Chinese market

▲ Figure4 Konica Minolta A3 color MFPs and Production Print had outstanding performance

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Features (OPS) program – a Managed Print Service- in August 2011. The launch of this program is also credited with the strong sales in the company’s Business Technologies segment. With the consistently solid result from OPS, the Konica Minolta will continue efforts in approaching global major accounts with its MPS program. The company will also launch new products to generate more earnings in the fourth quarter. These products include: a color production printing system- bizhub Pro C6000L; an A3 color MFP for office-bizhub C754/C654, and an A4 color MFP for office – bizhub C25. ▲ bizhub PRO C6000L

▲ bizhub C754/C654

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Lexmark Lexmark announced its financial results for the full year and Q4 of 2011 on January 31, 2012. “2011 was a good year for Lexmark given the challenging global economic environment,” said Paul Rooke, Lexmark Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. “Lexmark delivered record laser supplies revenues (9% growth), a record gross profit margin (37.9%) and a strong operating income margin (10.6%).” Lexmark’s GAAP revenue in 2011 reached US $4.173 billion US Dollars: hardware revenue was US $989 million, supplies revenue was US $2.912 billion, software and other revenue was US $272 million. In terms of regions (see Figure 5), the US is still the largest market for Lexmark, comprising 42% of all its business. EMEA’s revenue accounted for 37%, and the rest 21%. Despite the gloomy picture of Europe’s economy, sales revenue generated in EMEA actually grew 1%. As a result of the adjustment of product mix–less inkjet hardware, more laser supplies and more software—the Core revenue generated by laser and business inkjet hardware and supplies, MPS and software grew 7% YOY (See Figure 6), while Legacy revenue from consumer inkjet hardware and

▲ bizhub C754/C654

contributed most toward growth, with a staggering 52% increase, followed by the US 12%, Europe 8% and Japan 4%. Although the production print business is just a little more than 20% of all office products (¥24.6 billion yen in Q3), the growth of this segment is very impressive. Excluding the foreign exchange effects, sales rose 20%. In terms of units, the year-on-year growth in the first 9 months of 2011 was 40% for color and 9% for monochrome. In China, sales of color units more than doubled, with a growth rate of 103%! In Japan, the growth rate is 81%, Europe 71% and US 21%! How impressive are these figures in contrast to gloomy economic projections! Konica Minolta launched its global Optimized Print Services

▲ Figure5 Lexmark’s sales revenue by region (non-GAAP) March 2012 |

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Features Lexmark has signed a five-year agreement with Anheuser-Busch, a wholly owned subsidiary of leading global brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev, to provide MPS. The scope of the agreement spans Anheuser-Busch locations across the U.S., including corporate offices and breweries, as well as Labatt Brewing Company locations in Canada. In 2012, Lexmark will ▲ Figure6 Lexmark’s core business segment is growing continue to improve its supplies declined by a staggering 35%. Currently, consumer product mix- principally less inkjet hardware, more laser inkjet hardware and supplies only takes up 12% of Lexmark’s supplies, and more software. But the company projects that revenue, and the company will continue to move away the 2012 revenue will decline 3% to 5%. from this business. The OEM is particularly happy about the performance of laser supplies revenue, which increased 9% Conclusion above the record set in 2010. Based upon financial reports from Canon, Epson, Lexmark As part of the strategy, Lexmark launched its OfficeEdge and Konica Minolta, we can see : Series MFPs, which target small workgroups within corporate • Market demand for monochrome office printers has entities and small to medium-sized businesses. The two newlyfurther weakened released products are OfficeEdge Pro5500 and Pro4000, both • MFPs, especially color devices, have become the major color inkjet devices. PC World’s review says, “The Lexmark contributor to growth OfficeEdge Pro550 is one of the most convincing alternatives • Production printers showed strong growth momentum to a low-cost color laser printer.” This endorsement is based and profitability upon the machine’s high-speed printing and scanning • MPS is now an effective way for OEMs to improve sales of capability. Lexmark also claims that the MFPs can lower cost devices and supplies per page by 50% when compared to color laser MFPs below Aftermarket players traditionally focus in on the desktop US $500. OfficeEdge Pro5500 is priced at US $399. printing market. After a relatively long evolutionary cycle, the Figure 6: Lexmark’s core business segment is growing. aftermarket has acquired mature technologies to produce Lexmark’s Managed Print Services captured a strong good quality monochrome products. However, as the market position in the market. It has been hailed as a Leader, demand for color products increases, aftermarket players according to IT research firm IDC’s recent MPS MarketScape must adhere to this same pattern by developing quality report, which analyzes the competitive fitness of companies supplies for the new color devices. As for the market segment, providing MPS. IDC’s multivendor study showed that Lexmark besides desktop products and office printers, the copier and earned high marks on its MPS strategy and capabilities, production print markets are both worth studying. There may particularly in the areas of customer service, operational be good opportunities for aftermarket suppliers. As OEMs execution and go-to-market approach. are changing their market strategies, as well as product mix, Lexmark also announced it has been positioned by leading instead of engaging in cut-throat price competition, it’s time industry analyst firm Gartner, Inc. in the Leaders quadrant for aftermarket suppliers to develop a different approach to of its “Magic Quadrant: Managed Print Services Worldwide” better serve market demands. Improve the quality of color Report No. 3. In the Gartner Magic Quadrant report, Lexmark products, change the product mix, or adopt a more innovative was evaluated on “completeness of vision” as well as its “ability way to distribute products, these may be good ways to ensure to execute.” your aftermarket business will continue to grow.

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Profiles

Consistent quality, specialty papers define Huangshan Huabang Digital Technology Huangshan Huabang Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (Huabang, China), though relatively new in the printing consumables market, has already had its fame established in the pulp and paper industry. It is one among the few fully-integrated manufacturers that serves the complete supply chain from pulping to papermaking to coated ink jet printing papers. How does Huabang utilize its innate edge as a long-established company to secure its unique position in this brand-new field? Recycling Times recently conducted an interview with Mr. Zhang Jun, General Manager of Huabang to learn the answers. Advantages In 2007, Huabang Digital entered the printing consumable industry through the superglossy, photo paper sector. It was quite green in this field, but its parent, the Zhejiang Wanbang Pulp Group, with an 18-year industrial history, has worked in various fields including, international and domestic pulp trading, research, development and the manufacture of specialty papers. The Group established itself by operating subsidiaries and branches in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Anhui, Shandong, Hebei and Guangdong. Zhang explained why this move occurred in 2007. ”The development mode of our Group is to gradually cover the whole industrial chain from pulping to papermaking to finished paper processing. With great effort, in 2007, we had established a solid foundation in pulp and paper making, so it was time for us to get into finished paper coating and super-calendering where superglossy, photo paper belongs.” Huabang was established not just to achieve the product development goals of the Group, but also for the great

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potential this industry offers which, according to Zhang, has three characteristics: 1. Low threshold. As a result, small enterprises often rush in while production capacity and capital lag behind, making competitive pricing the only way for them to capture a position in the market. 2. Inconsistent product quality. 3. Micro sized industry. Statistics show that in 2010, the total domestic market value of superglossy, photo paper and ink jet paper is less than RMB 500 million. Generally, there is great potential in this industry where Huabang can make full use of its capital, technology and chemical pulp supply. Consistent quality The superglossy, photo paper industry is quite special. According to Zhang it is generally agreed that perfect paper is not made, it is selected. In cast coating, influenced by the groundwood fiber content, coating and cutting operations, products will emerge with quality differences. They are then selected and classified as either A, B, or C class. More critical paper selection will produce fewer products and thus a higher manufacturing cost for each. “Once, a Shanghai client complained to me about other suppliers,” said Zhang. “He just demanded paper of consistent quality, but they couldn’t meet this simple requirement. I told him this is, in fact, a very severe demand that small companies could not meet. It involves the amount of mechanically ground pulp in the sheet, the coating, and the low yield (high loss) as a result of paper selection.” However, Huabang boasts advantages in these areas. With the Group manufacturing plenty of high-quality, groundwood paper tailored to the demands and special requirements of different clients, and with Huabang Digital’s great coating formulations, quality can be guaranteed. Further, manufacturing costs can be controlled thanks to the company’s adequate capital resources. Finally, to preserve the company’s great brand name and image, the final paper selection process is quite severe. Zhang noted that “The paper sample we send to our clients

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Profiles will also be sealed and retained as the criteria for future shipments so that they can rely upon receiving products with the same quality every time. We will not run for the immediate goal of meeting production quotas and damage our image for consistency in the process.” Of course, this policy was not achieved overnight. From 2007 to 2009, Huabang had been quietly making various preparations such as R&D, market exploration and sales channel construction. Zhang declared, “Those three years witnessed our heavily-invested scientific research process in action. Product quality gradually became stable through continuous manufacturing experiments. Currently, the manufacturing base in Huangshan occupies around 146,667 square meters, among the largest in this industry, based on the original two production lines. At the end of 2011, however, another six high-tech lines were installed with the best equipment available in China.” Focus on specialties Just like many other industries in China, the superglossy, photo paper business also experienced several stages. The years prior to 2002 witnessed a void in the domestic market. Beginning with 2002, many enterprises invested in this industry. Within a few years, China became the world’s leading producer of superglossy, photo paper. Intensified competition, escalated the price battle and a decreasing interest made it difficult for ordinary products to compete. However, Huabang smartly chose to intensify its focus on market segments and thus win its own market share through unique specialties. Frosted ink jet paper, introduced recently, is perfect for emulating oil paintings. It is a typical example. Zhang observed that “In foreign markets, oil painting reproductions are in great demand, but common ink jet paper can only print the visual part, not the texture. Inspired by this, we developed frosted ink jet paper, which can make the printed product look and feel the same as an original painting. The texture simulates the artist’s brush strokes. Moreover, our workmanship can guarantee paper smoothness and high ink absorption during printing. This product, launched at CIFEX/ ReMax Asia-Pacific Expo in October 2011, attracted many foreign buyers.” Light-weight, superglossy, photo paper, easily torn in coating, has a placed a severe requirement on technology. But, this is what Huabang focuses on, especially for papers lighter than 80 g/m2. After frosted ink jet paper, Huabang is now dedicated to R&D on a new paper type, namely, one that will replace resin-coated (RC) ink jet premium photo

paper with cast coated paper. RC photo paper is color-fast and water-proof, but expensive; cast coated paper, though not waterproof, is just one-third the price of RC photo paper. As a result, if it becomes waterproof, the market potential will be so high it cannot be predicted. As a paper manufacturing company, Huabang doesn’t position itself as a product supplier but a service provider. “We can make exclusive products according to the requirements of clients, instead of imposing our products on them. Our competitiveness lies in that we can make what others can’t and we dare to promise that our quality is consistent.” Future development In terms of future development, Zhang said, “In the next three years, Huabang will still focus on product R&D and manufacturing as it is the base of our company. With a strong sense of crisis, we will investigate the market demand, and further adjust and improve our products.” He also mentioned that Huabang will not confine itself to photo paper but will expand further into the field of “deep paper processing,” involving coating, calendaring and texturing operations. Besides fighting for individual development, Huabang is also concerned with the development of the entire industry. “At the very beginning, photo paper was sold by the sheet, but now it is marketed by the pack at lower prices due to savage price competition. As a major manufacturer of high-gloss, photo paper, China still lacks a unified standard on technology and a national industrial association. We, in cooperation with other companies and research institutes, advocate fair play and strive for the sustainable and healthy development of the entire industry.” Conclusion Opportunities are everywhere. Whether you can discover them makes all the difference. Fierce price competition can only lead to mutual destruction. Why not find a new path, and build your own palace? The aftermarket, with space for specialty products is increasing and has witnessed many examples of successful producers. March 2012 |

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Market Data

A monthly briefing on new printers Starting with this issue, and continuing each month, Recycling Times will release the latest new printer introductions gleaned from major OEMs in various world regions. By studying, digesting and analyzing that information, our experts and advisors will discover, determine and divine the trends and global market strategies the leading OEMs have set afoot. With this new product introduction monitoring system, first set in motion in December 2011, we are now able to track the primary OEMs in countries and regions around the world, The data we are gathering includes new product announcements from 6 OEM giants: Brother, Canon, Epson, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark, and Samsung. 16 Countries in 9 regions of the globe comprise the scope of this effort: Region

Country

North America

United States

West Europe

Britain, France, Germany, Italy

East Europe

Russia

Asia Pacific(except Japan)

China, Singapore, India

Oceania

Australia

South America

Brazil, Argentina

Africa

South Africa

Middle East

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia

Japan

and their regions so as to get an up-to-date picture of OEM printer launches that include all brands everywhere on the planet. This complete coverage will yield information that is invaluable to the aftermarket especially for their development of consumables. By analyzing the current set of data, we arrived at the following conclusions regarding trends in technology and the shifting geographic structure of new OEM printer development. A new age of color draws near According to the statistics of these 653 samples, color devices accounted for 71% of the total market, far greater than the 28% for monochrome devices. Moreover, among the remaining 1% are specialty devices, such as tag and label printers. Taken together with our survey on third-party supplies vendors in Q3 of 2011, our market intelligence indicates a new age of color printing is drawing near.

▲ Table 1: New product release regions and countries by OEMs within the purview of Recycling Times

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▲ Figure1 Distribution of new printers by colors

Laser technology goes mainstream The data also indicate that 50.84% of the printers introduced are based upon laser beam, electrophotographic technology, which, in the predictable future, will continue to expand in market share. Inkjet models took up 39.05% among new products.

▲

The first study accesses 653 new products offered during the period from mid-December 2011 to mid-January 2012. We examined 6 printer brands in the countries and regions mentioned above, including the same models launched in other countries. To ensure their authenticity and accuracy, all statistics were collected from the local official OEM websites, for models clearly identified as New. Further, the data was collected under standard operating conditions, that is, normal printing on A4-sized paper. Monochrome and color printers were divided according to printing speed. For multifunction printers (MFPs), only the data and specifications for the printing function, not the scanning or fax function, were evaluated. For cartridges, those with standard capacity were appraised, while high-yield cartridges were excluded. From this issue, Recycling Times will gradually expand the scope of data collection finally reaching all OEM producers

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Market Data In contrast, IDC reports for Q3 of 2011 showed that inkjet hardware comprised 62.62% of all hardware shipments. This shows that OEMs are keener to introduce laser products into the market, while the existing market demand for inkjet remains stable. LED printing technology, thanks to its faster speed in color printing, has won a respectable market share, some 8.73% among all new products. This evolving technology bears careful watching as it might prove to be the dark horse (unexpected winner) in the race for technological superiority.

medium enterprises, small workgroups and SOHO office users. Lexmark was first in number of new products introduced. From statistics collected on the brand names of equipment introduced it is apparent that Lexmark ranks first by having released the most new models, accounting for up to 26% of the new machines brought to market. Lexmark is followed by Brother. In terms of installed based, HP maintains the largest market share, but is relatively inactive in new product launches. Perhaps HP’s reluctance to offer new models in 2011 is influenced by the changes and challenges of a sluggish economy. Canon, with a 15% share of the new products offered, ranked in third position while Samsung finished last in terms of the number of new products offered.

▲ Figure2 Distribution of new printers by technologies

Multi-functional printers retain their safe lead Statistics drawn from new machines unveiled show that multi-function printers (MFPs) make up 63% of all the new products released, while single-function devices accounted for just 32%. The balance includes some wide-format printers and multi-function copiers. According to the latest IDC research report for Q3 of 2011, among the total global printer shipments, 82.1% of the inkjet shipments, 43% of the monochrome laser products, and 51% of the color laser devices are MFPs. This distribution shows an increasing user demand for multi-functional products, and also an increase in small and

▲ Figure4 Distribution of new printers by brands

OEM

Numbers of new printers

Lexmark

172

Brother

152

Canon

Epson

Samsung

▲ Table2: New product introductions as of January 31, 2012

▲ Figure3 Distribution of new printers by functions

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Emerging markets stand out Our analysis also focused on the regional distribution of new products released. Examining distribution and relative market share, enables us to predict market focus and market share for each product. In this way, we can provide some guidance for future growth and direction of the printer consumables industry. Such statistics show that the 6 OEM titans are very active in emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region. Regarding China, Russia, India and Argentina, these four emerging markets

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Market Data ranked first with a total of 30.27% share of all new product introductions. In the Asia-Pacific region, China, Singapore, India and Australia took up 41.09%. China alone accounts for 19.02% of new products with 124 launched by the 6 leaders, followed by Russia with 94 models and a 14.42% share. The detailed global distribution is shown in Figure 5.

a speed of 10 ppm, less between 10 and 50 ppm and the least over 50 ppm. See Figure 7

▲ Figure7 Speed of new monochrome printers(ppm)

▲ Figure5 Distribution of new printers by geographic region

An analysis of the regional distribution of each brand also indicates their different regional focus at the microscopic level. Speed and monthly volume of new OEM printers With a comparison of printing speed and printing capacity, we can figure out the customer structure and distribution in the printer market. According to the 653 sample statistics, monochrome printing speed ranges from 10 to 40 ppm. These printers comprise 68.29% of the total with a majority between 10 and 20 ppm. Few have speeds below 10 ppm or over 50 ppm. In terms of monochrome printing speed, these printers mainly meet the demand of small and medium size businesses (SMBs), SOHOs or family users. See Figure 6

Monthly printing capacity tells us the largest printing volume a printer can produce within a month. Based upon such analysis, we can assign a customer group for each printer. For example, among the 348 effective new models, 33.05% can output 100,000 pages per month; these are suited mainly for major or professional users. Printers qualified to produce between 10,000 and 20,000 pages per month account for 15.8% and those with a monthly output volume between 50,000 and 100,000 pages represented 14.37%. In general, printers with a monthly capacity over 10,000 pages took up 67.24% while all others formed 32.76%. See Figure 8

▲ Figure8 Monthly volum of new printers

▲ Figure6 Speed of new color printers(ppm)

▲

425 new products were taken as samples to collect data for analysis of color printing speed, which shows that 37% have

Lexmark covered many regions Lexmark brought out 172 new models (see Figure 3), the most among the 6 primary OEMs in our study. These new products were distributed in 14 countries excluding Italy and the Arab Emirates. This broad spread demonstrates Lexmark’s passion for new product research and development as well as its rigorous attention to each market. Among all the regions, Russia accounted for a 27.9% share, taking first position, followed by Saudi Arabia with 18.6%, South Africa with 17.4%, Argentina with 9.3%, and Australia with 5.2%. We can see March 2012 |

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Market Data that Lexmark focused on Eastern European countries like Russia, the Middle East, the Arab Emirates, as well as South Africa and South America.

▲ Figure11 Distribution of Canon printers by geographic region

▲ Figure9 Distribution of Lexmark printers by geographic region

Brother loves the Asia-Pacific Brother launched 152 new printers, only second to Lexmark in quantity. It also focused on the Asia-Pacific, Middle East and African regions. Among them, Australia comprised up to 32% with 48 printers; China: 26% at 40; Japan: 13% at 20; India: 8% at 12; Saudi Arabia: 7% at 11; Arab Emirates: 7% at 11; and, the ROW: 7% at 10.

for 36%, ranking first, followed by the US with 28%, Australia 11%, Japan 8%, India 7%, and the ROW 10%. In the Western European region (Britain, France, Germany and Italy), South Africa, Russia, Saudi Arabia and South America (Brazil and Argentina), HP launched no new printers. To some extent, this indicates that apart from the US, HP’s newest products are most active in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East regions.

▲ Figure12 Distribution of HP printers by geographic region

▲ Figure10 Distribution of Brother printers by geographic region

Canon is active in emerging markets Canon’s 95 new models are found in 14 countries except Brazil and Australia. Among them, China, Singapore, India, Argentina and Japan win a clear edge in quantity. Similar to HP, Canon also focuses on the South American and Asia-Pacific regions. China accounts for 20 new products, ranking first, followed by India with 17 models, Singapore and Argentina with 16 models respectively, Japan with 14, the United States with 4, and the rest 8 countries with only one in each country. See Figure 11 HP spotlights US and Asia-Pacific regions Among 83 HP new products in this study, China accounted

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Epson prefers Russia Epson’s 81 new products were mainly launched in developed countries, with Russia taking up a 43% share, Japan 22%, Italy 15%, the US 10%, Singapore 9% and the ROW only 1%. No new products were released in China, the only one

▲ Figure13 Distribution of Epson printers by geographic region

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Market Data missing among the 6 major OEMs. This clearly shows that recently, Epson has been paying close attention to the Russian market. Samsung favors emerging markets Samsung only contributed 69 new printers for this analysis, the least among the 6 most popular OEMs. As expected, it focused primarily on China with 29 newly launched models and 42% share. Next in order of new introductions was the European region with Germany at 19%, Russia 14%, France 12% and the UK 7%. In addition, Brazil and Argentina each accounted for a 3% share. However, in the Asia-Pacific region

â&#x2013;˛ Figure14 Distribution of Samsung printers by geographic region

(including, India, Singapore, Australia and Japan), and the Middle East and Africa regions (South Africa, Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia), where most of the new products are released, not even one Samsung product was launched.ters Since December 2011, Recycling Times has been monitoring new product release information of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s major OEMs. We are focused on such data as new printer design, printer price, type, speed, monthly volume, footprint, supplies, and other performance and consumable details. We plan to continue our comprehensive statistical analysis so as to get a full grasp of the development trend of OEM printers in the printer supplies industry and thus enable planning and forecasting for future development. As explained earlier, the current scope encompasses new product releases of 6 leading brands, that is, Brother, Canon, Epson, Hewlett-Packard, Lexmark, and Samsung, in 16 countries. Recycling Times will gradually expand its scope to emerging OEMs and other world regions. Want more information about the new OEM printers, or some of the detailed statistical data published in our report? If so, please dial +86.756.395.9284, or send an e-mail request to: Jeven.Zhang@iRecyclingTimes.com, or visit www. iRecyclingTimes.com.

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Tech Zone

Remanufacturing the HP color LaserJet Enterprise CP5225 series black and color toner cartridges By Mike Josiah and the Technical Staff at Uninet Imaging First released in January 2011, the 5225 series of color laser printers are based on a 20 ppm black and color Wide format (A3) 600 x 600 Dpi engine, 3600dpi with RET. (35ppm for the CP 4520 and 42ppm for the CP4525). The 5525 cartridges are an all-in-one type cartridge that consists of the toner supply, drum, and waste chamber. Like a few of the other newer high volume HP Color laser printers, the cartridges in this series do not fit into a pull out tray. All four cartridges are stacked in line front to back and fit directly into the printer. Note also that the drum faces up not down when placed in the printer. Because of this machine layout, we will take a moment and run through the printer theory before we get started. These cartridges are basically a rectangular shaped cartridge that comes with a toner seal and a snap-on drum cover across the bottom to protect the drum. This cover also separates the developer roller from the drum so that when the cartridge is stored, the developer roller does not become flattened. See Figure 1. These printers also have a separate waste bottle to collect the waste toner from the ITB (Image transfer belt).

The cartridges used in these machines are the: CE740A (Black)

7,000 pages

$208.82 List*

CE741A (Cyan)

7,300 pages

$367.82 List*

CE743A (Magenta)

7,300 pages

$367.82 List*

CE742A ( Yellow)

7,300 pages

$367.82 List*

CE745A (Toner collection unit) * Pricing current as of May 2011

HP-CP5225 color printing theory The color toner cartridge printing process happens in s series of stages or steps. For the purpose of this article, we will call them stages. Figure 2 shows the basic layout of the cartridges and how they relate to one-

▲ Figure1

These cartridges also use chips that’s need to be replaced each cycle. The printers based on the CP5225 engine are the: HP Color LaserJet CP 5225n HP Color LaserJet CP 5225dn

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$18.00 List*

▲ Figure2

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Tech Zone

▲

▲ Figure3

on the drum is controlled by the printer’s intensity setting. See Figure 5 In the second stage, a laser beam is fired onto a rotating mirror (called the scanner). As the mirror rotates, the beams are reflected into a set of focusing lenses. The beams then strike the drums surface, reducing the negative charge and leaving a latent electrostatic image on the drum. The areas where the lasers did not strike the drum will retain the higher negative charge. These machines have gone back to using just one laser/scanner unit for all four colors. See Figures 6 & 7 The third or developing stage is where the toner is developed on the drum by the developing section (or supply chamber), which contains the toner particles. The development stage is actually

another and the printer. The laser units are on the bottom, the cartridges are at an angle, and the ITB is on top. Figure 3 shows the complete image formation process In the first stage, light from the pre-exposure LED strikes the drum to remove any residual charges from the drums surface. See Figure 4. Then the Primary Charge Roller (PCR) places a uniform negative DC voltage on the OPC drum surface. The amount of the negative DC voltage placed

▲ Figure6

▲ Figure4

▲ Figure5

▲ Figure7 March 2012 |

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Tech Zone

▲ Figure8

made up of two steps: toner charging, and the actual development. In the toner charging stage, the toner stirring blade turns inside the hopper. As it turns, friction causes a negative potential to develop on the toner. In addition, a foam feed roller brings the toner to the developer roller and also places a negative charge on the toner. These two charges help ensure a uniform charge on the toner. Once the toner is properly charged, the toner will coat the developer roller. The toner is also held onto and attracted to the developer roller by another negative DC bias voltage. This voltage is controlled by the printer’s intensity setting and causes either more or less toner to be attracted by the developer roller. This in turn will either increase or decrease the print density. The amount of toner on the developer roller is controlled by the doctor blade, which uses pressure to keep the amount of toner on the roller constant. As the laser exposed areas of the OPC Drum approach the developer roller, the toner particles are attracted to the drum’s surface due to the opposite voltage potentials of the toner, and laser exposed areas of the OPC drum. See Figure 8 The fourth stage is the transfer stage. This is where there are some

▲ Figure9

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large differences from monochrome printers and also from other color lasers. In the Primary transfer stage the transfer roller which is located directly opposite each OPC drum, places a positive DC bias charge on the back of the ITB or Image Transfer Belt. Each toner cartridge has a separate transfer charge roller. The image is transferred from the drum directly to the ITB. This process is repeated for each color cartridge in the following order: Yellow, Magenta, Cyan, and Black. At the same time, the paper is moving between the Secondary transfer roller and the ITB. As the ITB passes the Secondary transfer roller, the positive charge is picked up, and draws the negatively charged toner off the Belt and onto the paper. Note that this entire process is upside down from most previous Hp engines. The ITB and transfer rollers are on top of the OPC drum, not underneath it. See Figure 9 The paper separates from the ITB belt as the belt turns back down

▲ Figure10

▲ Figure11

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Tech Zone

▲ Figure12

▲ Figure15

to start the process again. The static charge on the back of the paper is decreased with static charge eliminator. This helps stabilize the paper feed, and also prevents toner flares (spots) under low temperature and low humidity conditions. See Figures 10 & 11 In the fifth stage, the image is then fused onto the paper by the fuser assembly. The fuser Assembly is comprised of the upper heating assembly and lower pressure roller. The lower pressure roller presses the page up into the upper heating assembly which then melts the toner into the paper. This heating assembly consists of a flexible sleeve with a ceramic heating coil inside. This type of fuser affords “instant on” fusing with little to no wait time, and low power consumption. See Figure 12

▲ Figure14

▲ Figure16 March 2012 |

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▲

▲ Figure13

ITB cleaning: The ITB is cleaned by the ITB cleaning blade. The ITB wiper blade

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Tech Zone

â&#x2013;˛ Figure18

This process also takes place with the Primary transfer rollers and the ITB belt. See Figures 16 & 17 â&#x2013;˛ Figure17

scrapes off the residual toner and an auger moves the toner to the toner collection box. See Figures 13 & 14 OPC drum cleaning: The drum is cleaned after the image is transferred to the paper by the wiper blade. This part is fairly standard; the wiper blade scrapes the toner off the drum, and the recovery blade guides it into the waste chamber. See Figure 15 These printers can print in full color or in black-only modes. To print in the black only mode, the printer disengages the developer rollers in the cyan, magenta, and yellow cartridges.

Printer calibration: At the start of all this is the cartridge detection process, toner level detection, and then the calibration cycle. The printer will calibrate itself whenever the printer is turned on ( Within 15 minutes), when a new toner cartridge is installed and after 48 hours of run time. Calibration consists of a solid block and halftone of each color being printed to the ITB. As the printed areas get to the top of the belt, a sensor will detect them, measure the density, and adjust the printer accordingly. See Figure 18 All of the calibration time settings are user controllable. The remanfacturers procedures, taking test prints, cartridge troubleshooting as well as minor printer troubleshooting will be covered in the April issue.

Mike Josiah Mike Josiah is the East Coast Technical Director at Uninet Imaging. A global distributor of toner, OPC drums, wiper blades and other supplies. An industry veteran since 1987, Mike is a member of ASTM committee F.05, the STMC Technician Certification Committee as well as an STMC trainer. He regularly contributes articles and teaches seminars at association meetings and trade shows.