5 Tips How to Reduce your ink costs

Despite all the progress made in recent decades, and even though technological advances have given us new performance criteria, there are still only two ways to reduce your ink costs. Either you reduce your ink usage, or you find a way to pay less for your ink!

How to Reduce your ink costs Tip #1: Optimize the document

Whether in offset printing or in inkjet printing, a first effective way to reduce your ink consumption is to optimize the original document being printed. To do this, you must use a software that not only reduces over-inking of shadows but also replaces the gray areas composed of CMY with a single dose of black. Many of you have probably already tried the rudimentary attempt to apply a type of "GCR" profile in Photoshop. This solution may be the least expensive, but it's also one that economizes less ink. Also, its random results don’t justify the loss of quality incurred and the related risk of any stops in production.

How to Reduce your ink costs Tip #2: A specialized solution

The serious user will opt for a specialized solution that reduces the colours and gray compositions to their simplest expression. Not only will the document treated in this fashion consume less ink, but it will be more permissive to all colour changes that are too often uncontrollable during production. The savings will then extend to paper waste and time; two costs that are as equally important for the modern industry owner.

How to Reduce your ink costs Tip #3: Negotiate volume

That said, there’s no need to remind buyers of the importance of showcasing the volume of use when it comes to negotiate volume discounts. But beware of those who want to buy in "bulk" to save. This is dangerous! Avoid this solution with modern inkjet printers because all liquid filling in these unsealed reusable cartridges absorb enough ambient air and contaminants to cause many problems.

How to Reduce your ink costs Tip #4: Be careful of the cartridge!

Indeed, oxygen and possibly other gases can be absorbed in the ink, under the pressure/ decompression created by the extreme speed of this new generation’s print-heads. The ink then will expand and will cluster together into small bubbles invading the cartridge’s expulsion chamber. The bubbles taking the ink’s place in this area prevent the ejection of this valuable liquid, while at the same time leaving the false impression of a blocked nozzle. A situation that people in pre-press are not particularly fond of! The best way to avoid this cavitation effect is to use single-use cartridges that will keep the offending gases away from the ink that has previously been treated prior to being placed in the cartridge. Many niche products are waging a brand war by appearing to be a better bet to the budget conscious. But be careful, many of these third parties offer mixed results. These inks are often distributed via sufficiently different design cartridges from the original design for obvious legal considerations. These cartridges can then cause pressurization problems with the new generations of printers; the Stylus Pro x900 series in particular.

How to Reduce your ink costs Tip #5: The remanufactured cartridge

That's why we would rather recommend the use of original cartridges that have been carefully remanufactured and refilled with premium ink, which meet strict quality control rules specific to the Canada-US market where they are produced. After all, the best way to save money, first and foremost, is by ensuring continued productivity…