Printer Printhead
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Printer Ink Glossary: Printer Ink & Toner Terminology for the Small Business Owner
When it comes to printing, the terminology can be very confusing. What exactly is the difference between toner and an ink cartridge? Are they interchangeable? Is there a difference between laser and inkjet printers? Remanufacture-what!? Considering the cost of printing, your best strategy is understanding exactly what each term means and where you can save money without sacrifices quality. The following is a quick glossary to help you navigate your company's next printing purchase.
Toner: A carbon-polymer powder mix used in laser printers and copy machines to form the text and images on a print out. A fuser melts the toner and binds it to the paper.
Printer Ink cartridge: Also known as an inkjet cartridge, the printer ink cartridge is a replaceable ink component of an inkjet printer. The printer uses hear to transfer the ink from the cartridge to the page.
OEM Cartridge: Stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer cartridge. These name brand cartridges are produced by the printer manufacturing companies, such as Canon, Hewlett Packard or Lexmark. You pay a brand premium for OEM cartridges.
Compatible cartridge: Compatible cartridges are non-recycled, generic versions of OEM cartridges. They are a portion of the cost of the OEM cartridges and are typically of very high quality.
Remanufactured cartridge: A recycled printer cartridge. If the manufacturer adheres to the Quality Assurance system known as ISO-9000, these cartridges are of equal quality to OEM cartridges. They can even be used for graphic design. Remanufactured cartridges will save you between 50 and 75% on ink costs, with even greater savings when you buy discount cartridges in bulk.
Laser printer: An "electrostatic" printer that uses laser beam to transfer toner to paper thus creating the text and images.
Inkjet printer: A computer printer that reproduces a digital image by propelling variably-sized droplets of liquid via heat (which makes the liquid bubble and splatter) onto a page.
Printhead: Used to deliver the ink to the page that you are printing, the printhead is vitally important to your print quality (never touch a printhead!) and can wear out over time.
Nozzles: Many nozzles or "jets" are located on the printhead. These nozzels heat and cool the ink inside the cartridge so that ink can be moved onto the paper.
About the Author
Andrew Yeung is the President of CompAndSave, a leading online provider of premium printer ink cartridges, including HP compatible toner cartridges. A streamlined state-of-art manufacturing facility and online distribution model allows CompAndSave to sell laser toner cartridges at steep discounts, saving small businesses thousands in operating costs every year.
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Zebra Printhead $360.99 Direct Thermal Not Applicable P1006741 P1006741 203 dpi Printhead Printhead Thermal Transfer Zebra Zebra 105SL Printer Zebra Technologies Corporation www.zebra.com |
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DATAMAX Printhead $279.99 203 dpi DATAMAX DPO20-2262-01 Datamax I-4206 Printer Datamax-O'Neil Direct Thermal Not Applicable Printhead Thermal Transfer www.datamaxcorp.com |
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Oki Printhead $195.99 1 1 Year 1 x Printhead 200000000 Character 50090301 OKI 3410 printer Dot Matrix Oki Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd Printhead Retail www.okidata.com |
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Canon BC1300 Printhead $513.99 1 8004A001AB BC-1300 BC1300 Printhead Canon Canon W2200 Printer Canon, Inc Inkjet Not Applicable Printhead www.usa.canon.com |
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Canon BC-1300 Printhead $484.99 8004A001 Canon W2200 Printer BC-1300 BC-1300 Printhead Canon Canon, Inc Inkjet Printhead www.usa.canon.com |
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Thermal Printer Cleaning Pen printhead cleaning pen $22.99 Wasp Thermal Printer Cleaning Pen - Printhead cleaning pen - for W 300 300Z 600 600Z |
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Canon BC-1350 Printhead $525.99 0586B001AA Canon imagePROGRAF W6400 Inkjet Printer Canon imagePROGRAF W8400 Inkjet Printer BC-1350 BC-1350 Printhead Canon Canon, Inc Inkjet Printhead www.usa.canon.com |
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Canon BC-1450 Printhead $484.99 8366A001 Canon W-8200P Large Format Printer Canon W-6200 Large Format Printer BC-1450 BC-1450 Printhead Canon Canon, Inc Inkjet Printhead www.usa.canon.com |
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HP No 12 Magenta Printhead for Business InkJet 3000 Series Printer C5025A $85.86 HP No 12 Magenta Printhead for Business InkJet 3000 Series Printer C5025A |
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Zebra 203dpi Standard Life Printhead For Zebra ZM600 Label Printer 79803M $438.4 Zebra 203dpi Standard Life Printhead For Zebra ZM600 Label Printer 79803M |
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14 - printhead $38.99 HP 14 - Printhead - 1 x cyan - for Color Inkjet cp1160 Digital Copier Printer 610 Officejet 71XX d125 d135 d145 d155 |
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Citizen Printhead $136.99 Citizen Citizen CLP-521 Printer Citizen Micro HumanTech Direct Thermal JM14703-0 Not Applicable Printhead Resolution: 200 dpi www.citizen-america.com |
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Canon BC 1350 Printhead $484.99 0586B001 1 x Printhead Canon imagePROGRAF W8400 Printer Canon imagePROGRAF W6400 Printer BC 1350 Printhead BC-1350 Canon Canon, Inc Inkjet Printhead www.usa.canon.com |
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Zebra Save a Printhead Cleaning Film $13.99 46902 Zebra Thermal 90XiIII Printer Printhead Zebra Thermal 90XiIII+ Printer Printhead Zebra Thermal 96XiIII Printer Printhead Zebra Thermal 96XiIII+ Printer Printhead 3 x 10" long strips of cleaning film Cleaning Film Save a Printhead Cleaning Film Zebra Zebra Technologies Corporation www.zebra.com |
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Zebra P1014112 Printhead $97.99 4 oz Direct Thermal Not Applicable P1014112 P1014112 Printhead Printhead Zebra Zebra TTP 2000 Printer Zebra Technologies Corporation www.zebra.com |
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DATAMAX IntelliSEAQ Printhead $252.99 1 DATAMAX Datamax M-4206 Printer Datamax-O'Neil Direct Thermal IntelliSEAQ Printhead Not Applicable PHD20-2261-01 Printhead Resolution: 203 dpi Thermal Transfer www.datamaxcorp.com |
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Printronix 300 dpi Thermal Printhead $591.99 251012-001 300 dpi Thermal Printhead Printronix T5304R Printer Printhead Printronix Printronix, Inc Thermal Transfer www.printronix.com |
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Canon printhead. Each $537.45 Manufacturer: Canon. Each. Consumable Type: Printhead Printing Technology: Ink-jet Included Qty: 1 Customers also search for: Discount Canon printhead, Buy Canon printhead, Wholesale Canon printhead, 013803111194, 3630B003, Inkjet Printer Cartridges |
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DATAMAX 203 dpi Thermal Printhead $302.99 203 dpi Thermal Printhead Datamax Prodigy+ Printer Datamax Max203 Printer Datamax DMX-400 Printer DATAMAX DPO220039 Datamax-O'Neil Direct Thermal Printhead Thermal Transfer www.datamaxcorp.com |
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Zebra 300 dpi Thermal Printhead $205.99 300 dpi Thermal Printhead Zebra Thermal Transfer Printer: TLP3842 TLP3844Z G105910-155 Printhead Thermal Transfer Zebra Zebra Technologies Corporation www.zebra.com |
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Zebra 203 dpi Thermal Printhead $419.99 203 dpi Thermal Printhead Zebra S600 Printer Black G44998-1M Printhead Thermal Transfer Zebra Zebra Technologies Corporation www.zebra.com |
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Wasp 203 dpi Thermal Printhead $150.99 1 x Printhead 203 dpi Thermal Printhead 633808402167 Resolution: 203 dpi Wasp WPL305 Desktop Thermal Printer Black Direct Thermal Printhead Thermal Transfer WPL305 Wasp Wasp Barcode Technologies www.waspbarcode.com |
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Printronix 203 dpi Thermal Printhead $471.99 1 x Printhead 203 dpi Thermal Printhead 251243-001 Print Speed: 10ips Printronix T5204E Printer Printhead Printronix Printronix, Inc RoHS Thermal Transfer Yes www.printronix.com |
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IBM 4" Printhead $517.99 1 Year 1 x Printhead 4" Printhead 57P2169 IBM 4400 Thermal Printer Box Estimated Average Life: 2 years with a usage of 4 ribbons per month. IBM IBM Corporation Printhead Thermal Transfer www.ibm.com |


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