The market for toner and related materials for electrophotography has changed both technologically and geographically. The more than 90 toner manufacturers globally, irrespective of their market position, are in a market of derived demand. Their choices in both technology and economics are driven by application and market when manufacturing toner products.
All-in-one monochrome toner cartridge sales volume is predicted to continue to decline because of the trend towards the use of color print devices. This growth of color toner complicates the market particularly for third parties as technology developments by the OEMs and cost issues to be faced in the market multiply. OEM manufactured supplies continue to dominate the color market, however as a result of several factors—not the least of which is the high cost of cartridges—users are ready to buy aftermarket color cartridges.
The buyers’ attitudes on buying color toner supplies are identical to their attitudes on monochrome. The emphasis on their desire for quality, reliability, etc. is paramount. Third-party manufacturers have had difficulty in addressing the issues on providing alternatives to OEM supply, but when the products do arrive at the right standard, users buy good quality aftermarket color laser cartridges.
The Challenges in Designing Colored Toners for Manufacture
By comparison with monochrome toners, the design of colored toners is much more complex.
In simple terms, the mark made on the final hard copy with black monochrome toner is just that – black. True black isn’t always the same from a colorimetric perspective and the optical density of black print can and does vary. However, by and large, when an observer looks at a page of black print it is not particularly relevant what the black print is from a color point of view. This is worlds apart from color printing.
Colored printing is based on the printing of the combination of cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK) dots. “K” is the abbreviation used to denote Black from the Japanese 黒 Kuro.
The number, size, optical density, and dot positioning by a color printer are determined by software to create a rendition of the color of the original image. The human eye is relied upon to integrate the visual of these dots to create in the observer the impression of the intended spectral shade in that image. This effect is by the process called “Subtractive Color”.
The printer hardware, firmware, software, and toner work in harmony to enable the accurate rendering of the image. The OEM has, in the development and design of the color printer, matched these four elements to faithfully reproduce any image. For the toner, the chemical formulation and physical specification are key to determine the toner performance enabling the printer to achieve the correct color.
The elements determining the toners’ performance include the fusing characteristics, toner film transparency, fused toner gloss, and toner color value. The latter is typically defined by the L, a*, b* value, which is the measured quantification of any color visualized and quantified by using the 3-dimensional CIELAB color space. The L*a*b* values for each of the toners when printed determines the “color gamut” potentially available for the printer. The 3-dimensional color space is represented in the diagram that follows.
In the printer’s designed operation, the hardware, firmware and software make appropriate adjustments to the engine print parameters in order to ensure faithful creation of print result with respect to the original image.
With the assumption that the toner in use by the printer matches exactly the OEM toner characteristics, when printing, the input parameters determined by the printer systems are adjusted to achieve the desired color print results. These parameters are calculated by the system by measurement of the degree of development of toner on the drum or transfer belt in the cycle prior to actual printing. This measurement is then used to adjust the toner development in the print cycle. Parameters adjusted include toner development bias voltage on the drum. This pre-print measurement can be misguided if the toner in use is not closely matched to the OEM original toner. If the toners in use are not close in color or developed toner mass to the OEM the resultant print will not be an accurate rendition of the original.
Consequently, toner formulation and specification are crucial to successful color toner products.
Manufacturing Color Toner
Toner design, to a great extent, determines how they are manufactured. All manufacturing methods are capable of producing both monochrome and color toners. Well over 60 percent of global color toner production is by chemically prepared toner (CPT) methods as opposed to mechanically produced toner (MPT).
The choices made by individual producers in manufacturing technology, production equipment configuration and operational practices depend upon their market position, the availability of capital, the breadth of their product mix, the production volume, and the technical requirements of their target printer population. Toner manufacturers may be classified in market position as OEMs, OEM contractors, and independent/third-party/aftermarket manufacturers.
OEM Manufacturers of Color Toner
For OEMs, the drivers in color toner production are based on both print engine design and economics.
The drivers include the improvement of print quality, reduction of energy consumption in printers as well as in toner production all directed towards the minimization of the total cost of ownership (TCO) per page of printers. These drivers have led to OEMs adopting toner formulation and manufacturing methods to reduce fixing temperature, reduce mean particle size, and increasingly narrow particle size distribution of their toner. These drivers engender significant capital investment in toner R&D and production.
However, OEMs largely are not constrained by the availability of capital for the development of their manufacturing infrastructure so many have implemented the use of CPT technology. CPT addresses the ability to produce small particle, narrow size distribution low-temperature fusing products. CPT production cost is typically higher than conventional mechanically produced toner (MPT). For OEMs though, this higher unit cost can be substantially buried in the cost and pricing of cartridges.
OEMs manufacturing color CPT are Canon, Ricoh, Fuji Xerox, Xerox, Oki and Konica Minolta. Each has its own patented technology. Some OEMs produce both color MPT and CPT. Not all OEMs have adopted CPT however. Kodak, Punch, Kyocera Mita, Sharp and Toshiba notably have not and produce their own color MPT.
OEM Contractors producing Color Toner
Some OEMs subcontract their color CPT manufacturing to companies including Zeon Corp, Mitsubishi Chemical and Lotte. There are also some companies that contract manufactured color MPT for OEMs. These include Kao Corp, Tomoegawa, Tokyo Printing Ink and Fuji Denka Kogyo. The largest scale of these, Kao Corp, has been a contractor producing color toners for OEMs for many years.
Kao produces MPT with a median diameter of 5.5 microns using their proprietary MPT methods which, they claim, is able to produce the same image quality as CPT. Coincidentally, Kao is also globally the largest producer of the polyester toner binder resin, which is a key component for OEM color MPT. Kao has developed strong proprietary technology and capabilities in developing and producing low energy fusing high-quality toners.
Independent/Third Party/Aftermarket Toner Manufacturers
While the majority is produced in Japan by and for OEMs, color toner is being produced by many independent manufacturers around the world. The difference between these toners and the OEM products is that the raw materials and proprietary manufacturing technology used by OEMs are not readily available to the independents. This means that the all-important L*a*b* values for the toners when printed may not be the same as the OEM products. Consequentially these toners often produce the same image with a different appearance compared to the OEM.
Most independent producers are making MPT color toners but there are two independent manufacturers of color CPT, Hubei Dinglong and Fujifilm. The independent manufacturers producing color MPT include:
- Mainland China: ASC Technology (Beijing) Ltd., Zhuhai Guocai Technology Co., Ltd, CangzhouHuibao toner Manufacturing Co., Ltd, Cangzhou ASC Toner Production Ltd, CET Group Co., Ltd., Everlight/Trend Tone (Taiwan), GuangZhouAumes Digital Technology Limited, Guangzhou VIVID Print Material Co., Ltd., Guangzhou JSY CO. Ltd., Tianjin Synthetic Material Research Institute Co., Ltd. (Comet), ICMI (China) Limited, WuqiaoHuike Imaging Technology Co. Ltd., Nanjing Teshine Imaging Technologies Co., Ltd., Wuxi Jiateng Magnetic Powder Co., Ltd., Wuxi MeiLing, Real Color, Handan Hanguang OA Toner, Zhuhai Yifan Digital Technology Co., Ltd.;
- Europe: Integral GmbH, Imaging Products Manufacturing;
- Japan: Mikasa Sangyo Co., Ltd., Sakata Inx Corporation, Imex Co. Ltd.,
- Malaysia: Jadi Imaging Technologies SdnBhd;
- South Korea: Cosmo AM & T, Core Imaging Technology;
- USA:Color Imaging Inc., Raven Industries Inc.,
Toner Plant Design
As can be seen in the diagrams below, the plant used to manufacture MPT is quite complex and differs unsubstantially between manufacturers. The same type of plant can be used for both monochrome and color toner.
For color toner manufacturing, it is ideal to have at least one set of manufacturing equipment for each color. It is possible, however, to use one set of equipment for color toner manufacture by cleaning in between colors. However, clean down is an onerous time-consuming, costly task and can have a serious effect on product cost.
CPT manufacturing is also a complex multistage process.
The plant design depends substantially on the type of CPT technology used most of which are proprietary to the manufacturer. The basic categories of CPT technology are suspension polymerization (used by Canon and Zeon), Emulsion Aggregation (used by Konica Minolta, Xerox/Fuji Xerox, Mitsubishi, and Fujifilm), and Solvent Methods of which there a number of variants (used by companies including Ricoh and Xerox). There is no basic plant layout that can be illustrated because of the differences between each manufacturer’s proprietary technology. However, the basic manufacturing process outlines can be illustrated as follows:
Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) pictures of some typical CPT products made using the three methods and some commercial products are shown below:
All CPT manufacturing methods are based on the production of toner particles by growth in a liquid of some kind and as can be seen from the process outlines the final stages of washing, dewatering, and drying of each process are very much the same. Techniques for these steps do however differ from manufacturer to manufacturer.
All have the common requirement to remove unwanted trace chemicals from the toner particle surface as surface trace materials can substantially affect the toner performance. In addition, the toner needs to be effectively dried to completion. CPT technology for the production of color toner is challenging and requires significant R&D and manufacturing investment and that is the reason only a few non-OEM companies have entered this technology field.
The Takeaway
A set of color toners is just one element of the color printing system but is vital in performance to enable faithful reproduction of any image. No matter the raw materials or production process used in an aftermarket color toner set, the close approximation of toner performance to the OEM product is the key to successful implementation.
This can be achieved by any of the production processes provided the raw materials are selected appropriately and that the specification and properties of the toner closely match that of the OEM.
2) Thereare two small slots on opposite sides of each pin. See Figures 4 & 5.
3) Grab the pins with a pair of pointed flush cutting wire cutters, and remove. Flush cutting wire cutters have blades that are flat on the bottom side. Normal wire cutters have curved blades. The flush cutting kind are better for grabbing recessed pins.Note that the pins for both sides are the same. See Figures 6, 7 & 8
4) Separate the two halves. See Figure 9
5) With a flat head screwdriver, press the drum axle pin out from the inside of the cartridge wall as shown. There is NOT a small shoulder as in older versions. Press the axle out just enough so that you can grab it with the flush cutting wire cutters. You may have to make two small cuts on each dies of the pin from the outside in order for the cutters to be able to grab it. See Figures10, 11& 12.
The drum hub on the opposite side is welded. The weld can be broken or drilled out, but there is a good chance that the hub will either warp if pried off, or will be hard to align if drilled out. See Figure 13
6) The drum dongle gear has a spring that holds it off to one side. (Necessary for it to engage the printer). Release the tail of the spring off the gear and remove the drum. See Figures14& 15.
7) Remove the PCR and clean with your standard PCR cleaner. See Figure 16
8) Remove the 2 screws and the Wiper Blade, there is an adhesive seal that hold the blade in place. Carefully lift it up. See Figure 17
9) Clean out the waste toner, make sure the seals are clean. If toner gets on the blade seal it can be cleaned with alcohol to activate the adhesive again See Figure 18.
10) Coat the wiper blade with your preferred lubricant. Install the blade and 2 screws. See Figure 19.
11) Re-install the cleaned PCR. Note that a new OEM PCR has a small amount of conductive grease on the black (contact) side. See Figure20.
12) Re-Install the OEM OPC Drum and metal axle pin. The metal axle pin should have a small amount of conductive grease on the tip. Remove the old grease and replace before inserting the pin.Make sure the axle pin is fully inserted. See Figures 21& 22
If you are replacing the OEM drum, follow this procedure to remove the gears and install them on the new drum:
14) Straighten out the contacts on the contact gear. See Figure 24
15) Lightly sand the inside of the new drum where you will be installing the contact gear. This will help ensure good electrical contact. See Figure 25
16) Apply a few drops of super glue around the inside of the new drum about 1/8” in from the edge. Make sure you leave space with no glue present for the contacts to touch the metal drum wall. These contacts must be metal to metal with no glue in between them. If any glue is in between the contacts and drum wall, there will be drum ground issues (solid black pages). Install the contact gear. See Figure 26
17) On the opposite side, place a few drops of medium or thick super glue on the inside wall of the drum about 1/8”in from the edge. This will prevent the glue from overflowing into the drum coating when the drive gear is installed. See Figure 27
18) Install the drive gear. Place the drum onto a flat surface and gently tap the gear with a rubber mallet until the gears sits flush. (Do not hit the dongle gear!) See Figure 28
19) Check the drum ground with an ohm meter. Place the probes into the drum contact and drum (very edge on the drum where there is no coating), and check for continuity. Be very careful to keep the one lead on the edge of the drum. The top metal part has a clear protective coating on it and is easily scratched. Do not press in hard or the lead will slide across the drum ruining it. Allow the glue to dry for about a couple of minutes and the drum should be ready to use. See Figure 29
20) On the supply chamber, remove the two screws from the end cap on the gear side of the cartridge. See Figure30
21) Remove the end cap. See Figure 31
22) Remove the magnetic roller assembly. See Figure 32
23) Remove the Doctor Blade and two screws. See Figure 33.
24) Clean out any remaining toner from the hopper. Note the Dr. Blade seal. It is a sticky substance that can be clean with alcohol if toner gets on it. If this seal becomes damaged, replace it with 100% silicon caulk. See Figure 34.
25) Remove the remnants of the old seal. These cartridges use a self-removing seal system. This picture shows a new cartridge with the seal starting to remove from right to left. See Figure 35
At this time no new seals are available.
* Amount to be determined
28) Install the magnetic roller. Turn the roller until the keyed end fits into the keyed slot in the end cap. This can be tricky to do until you get the hang of it. The keyed magnet is shown extended from the sleeve. The proper orientation for the keyed side is facing down. See Figure 39
29) Install the end cap and two screws. See Figure40
30) Place the two halves together, make sure that the two springs are aligned, and insert the two pins. Make sure that the pins are slightly pushed in so that they do not interfere with installing the cartridge in the printer. See Figures 41 and 42.
31) Install the drum cover; make sure the spring is situated correctly, and the slot on the cover fits into the tab on the cartridge See Figures43, 44&45
32) Replace the chip by slicing off the top two corners of melted plastic and sliding the chip out. After replacing the chip if it seems a little loose in the slot, place a dab of hot glue on each of the corners that you sliced off. The hot glue is easily removed when recycling the cartridge again, but will firmly hold the chip in place. See Figures46, 47&48
3) Remove the fill plug from the toner cartridge. Dump the remaining toner. See Figure 3
4) Carefully vacuum/blow the cartridge clean.
6) Replace the fill plug and check for leaks. The plugs are flexible so should not be damaged in removal. However if there is a leak, seal the perimeter of the plug with 100% silicon. The plug is very easy to knock inside when removing and re-installing so be careful. (Don’t ask how I know that!) See Figure 5
7) Wipe the cartridge down to remove any remaining toner dust.
9) Remove the small screw on the side of the chip section. See Figure 7
10) Press in on the two tabs and release the chip holder. See Figures 8 & 9
11) Remove the chip screw and chip. See Figure 10
11) Install a new chip and replace the screw. See Figure 11
12) Install the chip holder and screw. See Figure 12
While it’s not necessary to remove, we are showing the encoder wheel assembly with the cover off purely for information only. See Figure 13
That’s it! You’re done!
the #29 drill it, we recommend #8 x ¼” self-tapping screws. If not make sure you match the drill size to your screws and the screws cannot be longer than ¼” (6.35mm)
Slice off the 2 plastic rivets with a Square Xacto type blade on the contact end cap.
One on the top and two on the bottom and pry off the end cap.
the cartridge, Slice off the 2 plastic rivets with a Square Xacto type blade.
One on the top and two on the bottom and pry off the end cap.
Make sure you don’t lose the two green bushings!
and clean out any remaining toner from the supply chamber.
sided
tape on
each side of the chip holder. Install the chip and the frame. Use thin strips of good electrical tape to cover the chip frame and to hold it in place. You could use a 100% black silicon here too.
the Right side screw and end cap from the cartridge. Be careful of the drum cover spring! Remove it with the end cap.
of needle nose pliers, release both the hopper tension springs.
lift the drum up from the gear side. Twist and remove from the hopper.
and clean with your standard PCR cleaner.
Be careful not to damage the recovery blade located next to the wiper blade. If this blade is bent in any way, the cartridge will leak. Make sure the wiper blade foam seals are clean.
with your preferred lubricant. Install the wiper blade and 2 screws.
Place a small amount of conductive grease on to the black holder side of the shaft. Just a small amount of grease is more than sufficient.
from the hopper. Make sure the magnetic roller seals and the doctor blade seals are all clean.
hopper into the toner hopper. Slide it over so the round hinge pins fit into their respective holes.