| In today's economy, the answer to this question | | | | dollars worth of ink simply because the operators |
| becomes more important because the cost of ink | | | | want to avoid downtime. |
| has been increasing. As a matter of fact, in | | | | Here we see that downtime and ink usage can |
| February of 2009, one of the major ink | | | | battle against each other. Less downtime equals |
| manufacturers (Altex) reported price increases | | | | more wasted ink. Less wasted ink equals more |
| ranging from 3% - 10% depending on the brand | | | | down time. |
| name of ink. Ink suppliers everywhere are trying | | | | So how can you reduce your cost of ink |
| to keep the prices as low as possible in order to | | | | consumption without compromising production? |
| retain their customers, but eventually they'll start | | | | - Upgrade to an Atlas Inkjet System: The Atlas |
| losing money; so some serious end-user price | | | | System uses a commercial printhead (as opposed |
| increases are likely. | | | | to a cartridge) and a solvent based ink. The ink is |
| After surveying our own customer ink usage and | | | | pumped to the printheads as the machine runs, |
| volume, we've found that the average user | | | | allowing a continuous supply without changing |
| spends $1.75 per thousand pieces to address mail. | | | | cartridges. This unit can print addresses for as |
| The price goes up even more with specialty inks. | | | | little as 30 cents per thousand. That's 82% less |
| At this price, mailrooms and mail houses would be | | | | than the average cost for inkjet systems. While |
| spending $872 per month just to address 500,000 | | | | the initial purchase price is higher, mail rooms could |
| pieces of mail. That's enough to cover a lease | | | | easily make up the price difference in as little as a |
| payment for another piece of equipment, and | | | | year on ink usage alone. As an added bonus, |
| many mailrooms go through much more than this | | | | they'll be able to print at DOUBLE the speeds of a |
| on a single machine. | | | | cartridge based system. Atlas ink can dry on |
| Some mailers try to reduce this cost with | | | | most glossy stocks with the help of an infrared |
| recycled cartridges. After all, they have to cut | | | | dryer. |
| costs wherever and whenever they can. But the | | | | - Use An Aurora UV Inkjet System: UV ink |
| results are deceiving. They sometimes offer | | | | utilizes a chemical process, which allows ultraviolet |
| instant relief, but the long term financial burden is | | | | light to "cure" the ink as opposed to drying it. |
| greater than the short term financial relief. | | | | Most systems use an infrared dryer, which |
| The failure rate of recycled cartridges is much | | | | evaporates water or solvent out of an ink with |
| higher than for new cartridges. Every single | | | | intense heat. With UV, the ink is "cured" under a |
| cartridge that fails means more down time. The | | | | UV Lamp allowing the ink to dry INSTANTLY on |
| operator has to stop the machine, reinstall | | | | most glossy material, and even plastic. The ink |
| another cartridge, test the cartridge, and then | | | | actually turns into a form of plastic, and has a |
| start the job from where it left off (sometimes | | | | raised, "laser quality effect". Cost of ink on this |
| reprinting thousands of mail pieces that had minor | | | | unit is only 40 cents per thousand. Speed and |
| flaws due to failing nozzles). | | | | operation are similar to that of the Atlas. That's |
| Recycled cartridges do not always hold as much | | | | 77% less than the cost of using cartridge |
| ink. Depending on the recycling company, refilled | | | | systems. |
| cartridges can sometimes have only half as much | | | | - Purchase Quality Ink: If you are using an HP |
| ink as a new cartridge. And some cartridges | | | | based system, purchase quality inks from a |
| consistently fail before they're completely empty. | | | | reputable company. Don't waste time with the |
| Cartridges that fail before they are empty can | | | | half-filled, fail-prone ink cartridges. Buy cartridges |
| cause unseen problems with operators. When | | | | that are from HP, or HP- certified sources at |
| operators have to stop production because of | | | | competitive prices. This will assure that you get |
| one failed cartridge, they sometimes tend to | | | | maximum ink use out of each cartridge. |
| replace ALL the cartridges, whether they are | | | | Don't waste another penny on expensive supplies. |
| empty or not. This comes from the low | | | | With the mail industry taking a dive, ink usage is |
| expectations they have for refilled cartridges. | | | | the last thing you want to worry about. Look into |
| Many mail houses throw away thousands of | | | | a better system, and start seeing a bigger profit. |