How Inkjet Cartridges Work
Although an inkjet printer has many parts, the ink cartridge is probably the most important. It is the piece of equipment we see frequently and replace the most. Some printers have just one ink cartridge, while quality photo printers can have six or more cartridges – one for each color used by the print head. Some ink cartridges even have the print head built right in. But no matter which type of ink cartridge you use, understanding how the technology works can help avoid printing problems and costly repairs.

The print head on an inkjet printer consists of hundreds of tiny nozzles, or jets, used to distribute ink. There may be anywhere from 48 to 320 nozzles on any print head. Some printers, such as Epson, use electrical charges to create vibrations that force ink through the nozzle. This technique is called piezoelectric technology. Other printers, including Canon and Hewlett Packard, use bubble jet technology. This method relies on heat from tiny resistors to create ink bubbles, which spray ink onto the paper when they pop.

Proper Use & Care
Each time a drop of ink is fired by the print nozzle, more ink is automatically drawn in. If there is not enough ink in the cartridge, it cannot be distributed evenly and properly. This can cause print quality problems such as streaks and lines. The color accuracy of photos may be altered as well. If low ink levels are allowed to continue, the nozzle and other printheads are not properly cooled and lubricated and can be damaged. This damage is referred to as print head burnout.

For those with a print head located within the printer itself, burnout can be quite costly. This is why many ink cartridge manufacturers have created a cartridge with built in printhead. Potential damage to the printer itself is minimized, and if print head burnout does occur, you simply replace the ink cartridge.

You can easily determine if your ink cartridge includes a print head. If you see small circuitry and metallic tape, then you have a cartridge/print head combination. The circuitry, which is used to communicate with your printer, is very fragile and should not be touched. Ink cartridges that include a print head are also more expensive than simple, plastic ink reservoirs.

Remanufactured Ink Cartridges
When buying remanufactured ink cartridges, it is important that the remanufacturer uses only "virgin" (original empty OEM cartridges that have never been remanufactured) cartridges that have been checked for damage.

We at Doctor-Ink only use "virgin" cartridges and each ink cartridge is carefully test to be sure that it meets or exceeds OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) specifications.

The recycling process involves disassembling, inspecting, cleaning, replacing any worn components and reassembling. All of our products are guaranteed for one year.