Phaser 8400 Ink: Easier And More Affordable Than Other Options
April 30, 2008 by benpateThere are now more affordable color laser printers than ever, ranging from discounted old printers to newer and smaller models. Every small office or working group can now use a high-volume laser printer instead of an ink jet printer. Many different vendors now offer color laser printers that are so inexpensive that even individual users can afford them.
The Phaser 8400 printer uses solid ink technology to deliver fast prints with exceptional color. Also includes features such as Postscript compatibility and color tweaks that you will not get from a entry color laser printer. It may not able to compete with a laser printer’s black and white print speed or an ink jet printers for photo quality prints but for the price and performance it is hard to beat
As a Phaser 8400 solid ink also known as wax-jet or phase-change printer, the Phaser 8400 ink works something like an offset printing press, or a cross between an ink-jet and a laser. It’s yellow, cyan, magenta, and black ink come not in liquid or powdered form, but in waxy chunks or small cubes. Actually, not cubes but four slightly different, drop-in shapes, and carved toddler-toy-fashion to fit into the proper slots underneath the hood of the printer.
The Xerox Phaser 8400 is revolutionary. You no longer need complicated software or an over-used front panel LCD to tell you when the ink is low. By simply opening the front of the printer, you can see how much ink has been used directly. More importantly, you can add ink at any time without having to unload or reprogram. Simply drop a new block in the slot.
Phaser 8400 ink is friendly to the environment because there are no waste tanks or consumable cartridges to discard. Instead, a single plug-in imaging-drum lubricator or plug-in maintenance kit supplies all the ink that the printer will use for 10,000 to 30,000 pages. There is also a waste tray that needs to be occasionally emptied and replaced.
Solid ink printers utilize heat and pressure to make an image on paper. The printer melts a small portion of the desired color(s) and sprays the ink onto a heated, rotating drum which transfers the image to paper. The Xerox Phaser 8400 printer has distinct environmental advantages over most low priced printers. Using only 1500 watts of power, the Phaser 8400 uses a fifth less electricity than liquid ink printers and the 600 X 600 dpi (1236 individual nozzles) print head transfers the image in a single pass (four is standard).
The ink almost instantly solidifies again on the page, with no inkjet-style seeping or blotting on plain paper, and won’t smear if swiped by a damp finger though it can scratch off if rubbed with a fingernail. The result is output that almost looks damp when it’s dry. Solid-color areas appear practically painted on, with rich, glossy hues and absolutely none of the banding that plagues inkjets and, to a lesser extent, laser printers.
Phaser 8400 ink makes stunning color copies. It’s no competition for an inkjet when it comes to image quality, but it’s still pretty terrific. The phaser 8400 solid ink utilizes solid blocks of ink, which makes it easy to reload. By simply opening the front of the Xerox Phaser 8400 you can see how much ink has been used directly. More importantly, you can add ink at any time without having to unload or reprogram. The ink dries rapidly, and there is no seeping or smearing. The printout practically looks like it’s been painted on with rich, glossy shades, and the negatives like banding are eliminated.