Cartridge Drying? any recommendations?

[jakm4n]

I am looking for a easy way to dry the sponges after i flush them out? I hear convection ovens are the way to go...if so any details on the process? I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place, takes too much time taking out the sponges for dry and they are sometimes hard re inserting them back into the cartridge

jakm4n

 

[jakm4n]

Yea, most of the lexmarks (except the 16 and 70's), when the sponges are set out out to dry, they double in size and most times hard to insert back into the cartridge, even after i get them inside i notice that ink kinda fills around the sponge (because i think they are too compressed after being inserted into the cartridge).. what I want to do is flush the cartridges while they are inside the housing and run them thru the Centrifuges to spin out the cleaning solution.. and I need a way to dry out the sponges..

 

[Hendo]

How do you fill these cartridges? Vacuum chamber?

What type of cleaning solution do you use?

Do you do this as a business?

 

[jakm4n]

Yes I use a Vacuum system, and I own a small office supply shop in my home town..I use the American Inkjet cleaning solution, but I find the OCP solution is much better but more expensive. I finding the American inkjet cleaning solution is too soapy or suddy.. I prefer the other OCP stuff but its too expensive at the moment. Any suggestions for drying batch amounts of cartridges?

 

[fotofreek]

Granddad puts them in an oven at the lowest setting. I've set them on edge in front of a small house fan and had them dry completely as well.

 

[Hendo]

Hi jakm4n,

I assume you are having problems filling these cartridges hence the reason for drying them. Using your current method what is your success rate? If you had 100 empty color cartridges that passed inspection what percent would you be able to fill correctly?

The best way to dry you sponges while in the cartridge is through centrifuge and a vacuum oven.

First lets look at the process for refilling a sponge cartridge that passes core inspection.

Cleaning (most important stage)

1) It imperative that you remove all the old ink (OEM and/or aftermarket). Old ink can contaminate fresh ink and/or cause crystalization.
2) Cleaning solution must be NO FOAM. Foam will coat the sponge and reappear when you refill the cartridge, even after drying. The only cleaning solution that does not foam is water.

Drying (100% dry sponge and ink well)

1) Wet sponges in a vacuum chamber cause air pockets to develop
2) The ink is diluted. Changing the surface tension and density. If you use water to clean your cartridges, the surface tension of water at room 20C is 72.8 dynes/cm, check this against your ink.
3) Pure, filtered water is a hot bed for bacteria. The portion of the sponge that is not saturated in ink can become contaminated.
4) The most important reason for completely drying your sponge: Osmosis

Osmosis, defined as "Diffusion of fluid through a semipermeable membrane from a solution with a low solute concentration to a solution with a higher solute concentration until there is an equal concentration of fluid on both sides of the membrane."

The ink will migrate throughout the sponge leading to ink starvation. The cartridge will print fine, but fail later, after long storage and/or in the customers printer. Because of the difference in surface tension between your ink and the OEM's ink and/or water - Osmosis is our enemy.

Here are a couple things to remember when using a vacuum to fill a cartridge.

1) Your vacuum chamber must reach 25 hg or below (27 hg is ideal)
2) Turn off the vacuum before you release the ink
3) After filling the cartridge, release the vacuum VERY SLOW. Minimizes
the ink from foaming.
4) The speed in which the vacuum releases ink into
the cartridge is very fast. Use a flow regulator on your ink line to control how fast the ink is released.

Now there are a few things you have to do to prepare the cartridge. The
cartridge should be working, and the reside ink rinsed out.

1) The cartridge sponge should be dry.
2) The inkwell must be dry. If there is moisture in the inkwell the cartridge
will not print properly. The vacuum causes the moisture droplets to expand
into an air pocket. The air pockets are trapped between the screen and the print
head. When the vacuum is released these droplets form air bubbles that cause streaking.
3) Use an ink that does not foam. If the ink foams when released into the cartridge it will form micro bubbles that will pass the screen and enter the inkwell.
4) Use a clip on the print head when filling. Air will enter back through the print head.

Following some of these point will help to increase your success.

Thank you for your time.

Have A Great Refill Day!

Hendo

 

[jakm4n]

Thank You very much .. i will put this info to good use...

I have another Question, What a good cleaning solution to clean out the pigments in the sponges? Do I use just water as mention above, Will water be sufficient enough to clean out the old crystallize ink and pigments?

 

[Hendo]

Hi Jakm4n,

Sorry I ment to add that a toaster oven will also dry out the sponge.

1) Try to find one that has a fan (convection) it works faster.
2) A good door and cool touch surface will lower your energy cost.
3) Low tempeture setting is important. 150 F / 65 C.
4) Percise heat sensor to maintain the correct heat.

 

[hpnetserver]

I believe Grandad explained well that there is really no need to dry them completely. I use paper tissue to suck as much moisture out from the exit hole as much as I could then fill ink right after. I don't have any problems. No change to colors either.

 

[Hendo]

Hi hpnetserver,

Osmosis will occur when you store the cartridge. It's the LAW OF PHYSICS.

If there is mositure in the cartridge than the ink is going to be diluted and drying time will increase, which causes bleeding. Water also breeds bacteria.

I refill about 200 of these cartridges a month and have spent countless hours studying them. If you fill them commercially than the sponge should be dry. HP does not use a wet sponge when they fill these cartridges.