Ascot Laser

HP's TONER SHORTAGE CONTINUES

2011-03-17T11:41:00.000-07:00

HP's TONER SHORTAGE CONTINUES
Last January, news websites and industry publications began reporting that there was a shortage of the HP CE285A, or 85A, black toner cartridge used in the monochrome LaserJet Pro P1102w printer and LaserJet Pro M1212 MFP. The shortage left some distributors out of stock and frustrated customers, some of whom vented on HP’s “customer reviews” message board for the cartridge. At the time, HP issued a public statement attributing the shortage to the “tremendous demand” it has experience for the HP LaserJet P1102w and M1212, which were announced in the spring of 2010. The company promised, “We are working quickly to meet the growing market demand for this product and minimize the impact to our channel partners and customers.”

Now that a couple of months have passed, we wondered if HP and its manufacturing partner, Canon, have been able to ramp up production to meet market demand for the HP 85A. It seems that while HP and Canon are continuing to work to address the situation, this toner cartridge remains in short supply.

Ascot Laser has compatibles in stock!

Before Recycling

2011-03-16T12:17:00.001-07:00

In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that plastic bags weren’t good for the environment. The woman apologized to her and explained, “We didn’t have the green thing back in my day.”

That’s right, they didn’t have the green thing in her day. Back then, they returned their milk bottles, Coke bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, using the same bottles over and over. So they really were
recycled.

But they didn’t have the green thing back in her day.

In her day, they walked up stairs, because they didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. They walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time they had to go two blocks.

But she’s right. They didn’t have the green thing in her day.

Back then, they washed the baby’s diapers because they didn’t have the throw-away kind. They dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts – wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that old lady is right, they didn’t have the green thing back in her day.

Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house – not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a pizza dish, not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, they
blended and stirred by hand because they didn’t have electric machines to do everything for you. When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, they used wadded up newspaper to cushion it, not
styro foam or plastic bubble wrap.

Back then, they didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. They exercised by working so they didn’t need to go to a health club to run on
treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she’s right, they didn’t have the green thing back then.

They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty, instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time they had a drink of water. They refilled pens with ink, instead of buying a new pen, and they
replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But they didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar and kids rode their bikes to school or rode the school bus, instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. They had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And they didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad that they didn't have the green thing back then?

Inkjet Printer Ink Cartridges and Supplies

2011-03-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

Ascot Laser offers inkjet printer owners a wide range of ink cartridges for most brands, including business inkjet printers.

New OEM Inkjet Printer Ink Cartridges
Whether you are looking for new, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cartridges or prefer to save some extra money by choosing the generic option, you’ll be getting a quality product either way.

Low-cost Inkjet Ink Cartridge Options
Our generic inkjet cartridges are quality products that save you money while giving you print quality that you’ll be happy with. These are not shoddy refills sold at some outlets that will leak in your printer and damage it. Go with quality, as it usually ends up costing you less.

Photo Printing, Business Color, or Homework Assignments?
We carry ink cartridges that will meet your printing requirements. From photo printing to banners and spreadsheets, homework assignments to business presentations, from flyers to fun stuff for the kids, we have ink cartridges to make it happen.

Buy from Ascot Laser with Confidence
Ascot Laser stands behind everything we sell and service, so call us at (503) 253-1440 or e-mail us at ascotlaser@aol.com and find out about the ink cartridge options available for your printer.

Why Choose Ascot Laser?

2011-03-16T10:24:00.001-07:00

Why Choose Ascot Laser?

Trust
Ascot Laser stands behind the products we sell, and the services we deliver. You can count on us to go the extra mile for you. We know how important it is for you that your equipment functions perfectly and deliver consistent, high quality results, and it’s our job to make that happen as your office machine supply and service partner.

Experience
With over 20 years of experience serving individuals, businesses, educational institutions, and governments, Ascot Laser Services the following cities:
Greater Portland/Vancouver Area including Battleground, Camas, Washougal, Vancouver, Ridgefield, Hockinson, Salmon Creek, All of Metro Portland, Clackamas, Beaverton, Tigard, Hillsboro, Oregon City, Sherwood, St. Helen, Troutdale, Tualatin, West Linn, Lake Oswego, Wilsonville.
We are the smart choice for all of your laser printer, inkjet, fax machine, and desktop copier supplies and service needs.

Money Saving Options
We know that your printing needs are unique and feel that you deserve the option to choose what’s best for you from a variety of products at various price points. We strive to deliver high quality products and top-notch service at lower prices.

The Brands You Want
Ascot Laser can offer you a full line of products from manufacturers like HP, Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, IBM, Konica-Minolta, Kyocera-Mita, Lexmark, Okidata, Panasonic, Ricoh, Samsung, Sharp, Xerox in both NEW OEM and Compatibles.

Free Recycling of your spent cartridges

Ascot Laser offers free pick-up of your spent cartridge where are 100% recycled and kept out of the landfills. See our where you cartridge goes at the end of its life. http://ascotlaser.blogspot.com/2011/03/end-of-life-of-toner-cartridge.html

Industry alert from Xerox

2011-03-16T09:30:00.000-07:00

Xerox announces price increases beginning March 24th 2011. The average increase per sku will be about 4.5%

End of life of a toner cartridge

2011-03-16T08:12:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what happens to your cartridge at the end of its life cycle?

End-of-Life process for a toner cartridge

6-Step Cartridge Grinding Process

1. Cartridge Evaluation All inbound units are inspected and designated for remanufacturing or grinding

2. Cartridges Disassembled Cartridges deemed unsuitable for remanufacturing are disassembled into base components.

3. Cartridges Sorted Components (plastic, blades, gears and PCR drums) are sorted for recycling.

4. Grinding Plastic cartridges are inducted into the grinder to produce plastic regrind.

5. Plastic Ready for Reuse Plastic regrind is reused in various injection molding processes.

6. New Product Development New product is created utilizing post consumer waste which completes West Point Products’ closed loop process.

Brother MFC-7840W Laser Multifunction Center

2011-02-10T12:12:00.000-08:00

For the money this is a great machine. Sells for $250-$350

Product Details
Description:
Laser Multifunction Center MFC-7840W with wireless networking copies, faxes, scans and prints. Features a built-in 802.11b/g wireless networking interface, PCL6 and BR-Script print emulations, built-in Ethernet network and USB wireless interfaces, 33.6 Kbps Super G3 fax modem, four-day memory backup and LCD backlit screen. Prints and copies 23 pages per minute with 2400 x 600 dpi. 35-sheet auto document feeder offers a quick way to copy, fax or scan multipage documents. Copy feature includes copy scaling from 25 percent to 400 percent. Fax function offers a transmission speed of 2 seconds per page, Caller ID/Call Waiting, 208 auto dial locations, 258 broadcasting location, fax forwarding and automatic redial. Flatbed color scanning has a 19200 x 19200 dpi interpolated resolution and 600 x 2400 dpi. Features 32MB memory (600 pages for faxing) and 250-sheet paper tray adjustable for letter-size or legal-size paper. Compatible with Windows and Mac. Weighs 24.5 lb. Energy Star qualified.

Quick Glance
Functions: Fax, Copier, Scanner, PrinterPrinter
Type: Monochrome Laser Multifunction Printer
Interface Type: 1 x USB, 1 x RJ-45 - Network
System Type: PC, Mac
Max Print Speed: 23 ppm
Green Compliance: Energy Star

Color Laser Printer - 5 Important Shopping Tips

2011-02-07T11:20:00.000-08:00

A color laser printer is a useful technological tool for both home and business users. Depending upon print volume and quality desired, there are a number of different printers available. These printers have features such as scanners, printing professional quality photographs and the ability to print wirelessly.

Good Print Quality

HP color laser printers are among some of the best in print quality. Good print quality is extremely important in a laser printer. Some consumers purchase their color printer to find out it was manufactured incorrectly or improperly. This leads to the print head being misaligned and all manner of other problems. Luckily, HP ensures that all of their printers are tested and ready to go before they leave the factory.

Comparison Shop To Find The Best Color Laser Printer Deal

Another useful tip when purchasing a laser color printer is to comparison shop. There are a number of different shops that sell printers and they usually will price match/beat one another. Sometimes, all it takes is showing the store what the price at a rival store and they will beat it. A good cheap color laser printer is the goal for many especially when the economy is tight. It may be worth the time to do some comparison shopping.

Choose The Best Time To Buy

Purchasing a printer at a specific time throughout the year is also a great way to reduce the cost. Many printers are on sale near the end of a company's fiscal quarters, on the Black Friday after Thanksgiving sale, as well as during the back to school season.

Wireless Color Laser Printer Capabilities

A laser color printer with wireless network capabilities can solve the "cord disaster" that some homes and offices face. Many of the printers currently available are wireless. Canon Pixma, Brother and HP Photosmart wireless laser color printers are some of the best rated wireless printers for reliability as well as affordability.

Warranties And Customer Support

Warranties are another important factor to consider when purchasing a laser color printer all in one. Without a good warranty, you may purchase a printer that stops working within a week or two of purchase. Canon, Lexmark, Brother, HP and many other major printer companies provide excellent warranties. However, some are better than others. Check over the specifics with the manufacturer before purchasing your printer.

By using these 5 tips, you are well on your way to buying the best color laser printer for your needs. Be a savvy shopper and check out all of your options before making a final decision.

Easy way to find your Replacement Printer

2010-11-09T12:26:00.000-08:00

Printers can be so, so cruel.

A misbehaving printer can make a work day a living nightmare. Paper jams. Read errors. Sitting there waiting for more documents to print, happy as a clam, while you pace back and forth from your office to the printer wondering how the report you sent to be printed got lost on the way.

Ctrl+P, indeed.

It’s not something we do very often, but when it’s time to actually replace the laser printer in your office (as opposed to slap it, pull at it, curse at it, and even destroy it), it feels a bit like self-betrayal. It’s like shopping for your next enemy.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

In an attempt to prevent you and your office from going postal — again — here is site that truly helps you and make this painless.

Just go to this site and find your model and printer type and you will get recommended models. It couldn't be eaiser or faster. I have used this site myself and it's awesome.

http://www.hp.com/sbso/buyguides/pg_printers/printer-finder.html#view=1;sVID=11401377;b=0

What Is Toner?

2010-10-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

Toner is the equivalent of ink in copiers or laser printers, and is a powder that is embedded on your paper to produce graphics or the written word.

History

The first copiers used carbon powder as a toner, but later a chemical polymer was added to increase the adhesion of the toner to the paper. Originally, toner was supplied in bottle form, allowing anyone to refill the toner reservoir, but that method was replaced by a cartridge system, usually containing additional parts, such as the drum.

How Does Toner Work?

Toner is selectively attracted to a drum that has been electromagnetically charged with the desired image. The drum then places the toner onto the paper as it is fed past. From there the paper (now carrying the toner) is fed to a fuser unit where heat is applied, melting the toner into the paper before it is sent to the output tray, where the printed page can be retrieved.

Color Toners

With the advent of color copiers and color laser jets came the introduction of color toner. Aside from the traditional black, color copiers and laser printers use three color toners, usually packaged in individual cartridges; they are cyan, magenta and yellow.

Environmental Concerns

Both black and color toner cartridges should be returned for refills or proper disposal, rather than being discarded as trash. In cases where the drum is included in the cartridge, there is the possible contamination from the selenium coating used in the manufacturing of these drums.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter

2010-10-21T13:10:00.000-07:00

Find us on Facebook at Ascot Laser

Follow us on twitter Paul_Ascotlaser

The History of Paper

2010-10-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

3,000 BCE
Egyptians manufacture papyrus from overlapping strips of sedge plant pith.
105: CE Chinese official Ts'ai Lun creates a sheet of paper using the inner bark of trees, fishnets,old rags, and hemp waste. Certain paper is still made from rags today.
3rd Century: Woodblock printing in China (Wikipedia)
751: Papermaking reaches Samarkand, in Central Asia
793: Papermaking begins in Baghdad during the golden age of Islamic culture. Papermaking soon reaches the frontiers of Europe.
14th Century: Documentation of paper mills in Europe including Spain, Italy, France and Germany
15th Century: Gutenberg brings profit to printing by inventing "the first complete printing system." His press, with its metal moveable type, could produce 3,600 pages per workday.
1774: Chlorine is discovered. It would eventually be used to bleach paper. Include articles on topics of interest to your readers, relevant news and events. If you find an interesting article on the Web, you can easily ask the author's permission to summarize the article and link to it from your newsletter. Drive traffic to your website by entering teaser text for the article with a link to your website for readers to view the full text.
19th Century: A machine that transforms wood pulp to a final paper product is realized. The paper industry is gradually relieved of its centuries-old dependency upon cotton and linen rags. Large-scale paper production becomes possible. The Fourdrinier machine remains the basis for modern papermaking.

Laser Toner Cartridge Care tips.

2010-10-21T12:41:00.001-07:00

Toner Care
Toners are sensitive to the light and can be easily damaged,so if you remove the cartridge from the package or printer, keep it covered and away from light.
Do not stand the toner upside down
Unopened toners have a shelf life of about one year. Opened toners have a shelf life of a couple months
To extend the life of your toner, if you remove your toner cartridge from your printer hold it parallel to the floor while holding it in your hands and take your left hand and go up to @ 45 degrees while your right hand goes down the same amount. Do this about 6-8 times, don't shake the cartridge or toner can come flying out and make a mess.
If you do get toner on your clothes wash with cold water as hot water sets the toner in.

Media
The media ( paper, envelopes, etc.) you use will affect the print quality of everything you print. Because laser printers use high heat that is used to melt the toner on the media, you will need to ensure you are using media that is made for laser printers. Using the right paper will affect the quality of your prints. The best way to ensure you are using the right media is to read over the printer manual to see what media can and cannot be used in your printer.

Media to Avoid:
Too smooth, too rough
Media that is textured or glossy
Coated media

Special Media

Make sure the printer can support this special media (consult your manual)
Print only a full sheet of labels and do not re-use a sheet of labels as you can damage your printer and/or cause a major jam with labels stuck deep inside your printer.
If you are going to print transparencies make sure they are for laser printers or they will melt and damage the fuser unit which is expensive to replace.

2010-10-21T12:02:00.000-07:00

Laser printer or inkjet printer – Which one would you go for?

"Laser printer or inkjet printer" this is something which must be rolling in your mind if you’re thinking of buying a printer. Buying a printer to a great extent depends on the type of work you would like to do on the printer.
"Laser printer or inkjet printer" this is something which must be rolling in your mind if you’re thinking of buying a printer. Buying a printer to a great extent depends on the type of work you would like to do on the printer.

For instance, if you want to print few photos, few e books or print any other project work an inkjet printer would help your cause. Inkjet printers are far less expensive than laser printers. An Inkjet printer uses a unique printer mechanism, which provides quality printing. They transfer tiny droplets of ink directly to the page. This is the reason why you will find most photo printers are inkjets. If you want to print photos at home, photo inkjet printer would probably be a perfect choice.

You might get an inkjet printer for less but they cost high to run. The ink required by inkjet printers is expensive as they are measured on per page basis. On the other hand laser printers have a high initial price but a low running cost.

When to opt for laser printers?
No matter laser printers are far more expensive than inkjet printers but they have a low running cost. For instance, if you want to print thousands of photo printouts, e books or print any other projects in bulk, laser printer would help your cause. The quality of printing provided by a laser printer is of a higher resolution as compared to an inkjet printer. You can also use laser printer at home if you require to take thousands of printouts. It would always be advisable to treat a laser printer as an investment rather than an expense.

You need to workout properly to judge the capacity of your business prints per day. This will help you to make a better decision of the type of printer which can best suit you.

Love Your Laser Printer

2010-10-21T11:33:00.000-07:00

Love your laser printer
Renowned for their fast page speeds and long media life, laser (a.k.a. electro photographic) printers have found an important place in small businesses, busy offices, and networks of all sizes. Today's leading laser printers support high-quality color for both everyday and photo-quality printing. Here, we'll look at ways to track the life of your consumables, minimize media jams, and achieve the best color laser printing results.

Track your consumables

Laser printers include toner cartridges, transfer belts, and other parts, known as consumables. Consumables have a limited lifetime (usually rated in pages printed) and need to be replaced at some point due to wear and tear. However, most folks only worry about replacing things when the printer goes screwy, which is usually right when the necessary item goes out of stock. To avoid getting stuck with an offline printer while waiting several weeks for the delivery boy, it's best to track the items that you're likely to need and keep them in stock.

Most laser printers keep a running tally of the pages printed over their lifetimes, called the page count. For example, the page count of a Lexmark Optra S or SC printer is found on the Menu Settings page. Press the right Menu button until you find Test Menu, then press the Select button. You should now be able to choose Print Menus. Press the Select button to print out the settings. The page count will be found under the Printer Information section.

Check your printer's manual for how to dig up the page count information. Keep track of how long your consumables can be expected to work by writing down the page count when they're installed. Then check back periodically and compare how many pages have been printed with the page rating for the part in question. If the number of pages printed is getting close to the rating for that part, then it's time to go shopping.

Avoid paper jams

The paper-handling mechanism of your laser printer can often be intricate and convoluted, making it prone to paper jams. These can cause a terrible inconvenience (especially in a busy network printing environment) and usually make you resend at least the part of the print job that was caught in the jam, if not the whole job. While most jams aren't difficult to correct, it's best to avoid them in the first place.

The paper (media) itself plays a major role in paper jams. Make sure you're using the media that is recommended for your particular printer. Paper that's too thick, too thin, specially coated, or unusually textured may easily curl or crumple and then jam the paper handler. Try a standard paper, such as 20lb. xerography-grade, and remember to fan it and orient the printable side properly (usually facing down in the paper tray).

Lack of maintenance is the other main culprit in paper jams, especially after the printer has been very busy. Dust, paper fragments, label bits, and residue from coated papers tend to build up and can eventually cause problems in paper handing. Clean the printer periodically as recommended by the manufacturer. This will remove the junk that can affect paper handling.

Print the right colors

Color matching between what your monitor displays and what your printer spits out can be difficult because the devices use different color models. When printing in color, it is often best to use the Pantone chart supplied for your particular printer and verify that the printer is in the CMYK operating mode. In most cases, you can download a suitable Pantone chart for your printer directly from the printer's manufacturer. For example, the Pantone chart for Lexmark color laser printers can be downloaded from their Web site. If your printer appears to be color blind, you may need to update your drivers for it. Since printer drivers (PC or Mac) normally take their color data from the system's video drivers, be sure to update them as well.

Price Increase from Manufacturers

2009-07-20T14:20:00.000-07:00

Effective July 1st 2009

Canon USA. announces a price increase on select ink cartridges and ink tanks as well as on (4) Canon toner cartridges, the E40 (0160A002), the L50 (6812A001), the CRG 106 (0264B001), and the CRG 104 (0263B001)

Effective May 1st 2009

Epson America, Inc. is announcing price increases on selected ink products, The price changes will affect our Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP), as well as the Reseller price.

InfoPrint will be several price changes on Workgroup supplies. Please note that orders placed prior to May 1, 2009 but shipped after this date, will be invoiced at the May 1st pricing.
Some items will experience a decrease. No price protection will be offered. Some items will experience an increase.

Troy will have both price increases and decreases. There are only 4 stock skus that are increasing, and 1 stock sku that is decreasing. The average increase is 4%

Price Increases from Major Manufacturers

2008-12-30T11:54:00.000-08:00

The following Manufacturers have or are going to increase their prices!

Samsung February 2, 2009 3-10% Select SKU's

Brother January 1, 2009 5% All Items

Hewlett Packard January 1, 2009 5% All Items * Second Increase in 8 months See below.

Okidata December 1, 2008 @ 5% All Items

Xerox November 3, 2008 5-8% Select SKU's

Lexmark November 3, 2008 5% All Items

Hewlett Packard September 1, 2008 5-8% All Items

Attention Shoppers HP Price Increase January 2009

2008-12-09T15:43:00.000-08:00

Price Increase Announcement – HP Inkjet Cartridges, Print Heads, Photo Value Packs, and LaserJet Supplies

December 1, 2008

As of January1st, 2009, HP is increasing the list prices on Inkjet cartridges, print heads, photo value packs and LaserJet supplies by approximately 5% on average. Actual price increases will vary by SKU.

As part of HP’s normal portfolio management process, the company regularly reviews pricing for all its products and makes adjustments accordingly. The price increases are in response to challenging global economic conditions including currency volatility

HP Inkjet cartridges, print heads, photo value packs and LaserJet supplies will continue to provide superior value, reliability and high-quality output. From pioneering the desktop printing industry to its new smart print supplies system, HP is committed to developing products and services that meet its customers’ needs.
HP is committed to developing products and services that meet its customers’ needs.

The Science Behind Page Counts, Cartridge Yields and The 5% Rule!

2008-12-05T08:29:00.000-08:00

Everyone wants to make the right decisions when buying printing supplies. Reliability, print quality, print speed and ease of use typically are the most important considerations, but comparing costs is also very important. You want products that deliver on their promise!

What Is The Print Yield?

Customers are becoming increasingly aware of the cost of owning and operating their printers and multifunction products (MFPs). The cost of consumable supplies such as toner cartridges or solid ink sticks is a major component of the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for a printer or MFP. The per-page cost of printing is driving many printer and MFP purchase decisions today, as these costs can be combined with print volume and print coverage assumptions to give companies a reasonable estimate of the monthly and annual TCO for a specific printer or MFP.
In the past, printer and MFP original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) used different, proprietary methods for testing and reporting consumable yields. This made factual and accurate comparisons of products from differing manufacturers impossible. Reporting was traditionally done using “5% area coverage,” but that did not guarantee comparable results because many other testing variables affect the stated yield, including:

Page size and margin settings

Image types used to create 5% area coverage

Number of cartridges used during testing process

Number of printers/MFPs used during testing process

Environmental testing conditions (humidity, temperature, and so on)

Lack of stated confidence level for published consumable yield

Any variation in these factors during the testing process can cause significant differences in reported yields. The development of an industry standard method for testing and reporting consumables yields has helped eliminate these inconsistencies, and gives customers the reliable information they need to make their technology buying decisions. Thus, almost all manufacturers now support industry standards such as those set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

The International Standards

The ISO and IEC have adopted a standard for black-and-white devices – ISO/IEC 19752 – which is described as a “method for the determination of toner cartridge yield for monochromatic electrophotographic printers and multifunction devices that contain printer components.” Black-and-white printers and MFPs reporting toner yields under ISO/IEC 19752 use the following explanation: Toner Cartridge Yield: Average XX,XXX standard pages (declared yield in accordance with ISO/IEC 19752. Yield will vary based on image, area coverage and print mode). ISO/IEC 19798 is a similar standard that has been adopted for color laser devices. ISO/IEC 19798 is described as “a methodfor the determination of toner cartridge yield for color printers and multifunction devices that contain printer components.” Reporting format is as follows: Average Continuous CMYK Yield: XX,XXX pages, or Average Continuous CMY Yield: XX,XXX pages andAverage Continuous Black Yield: XX,XXX pages (if the black Yield is different than color - such as where a printer has a larger capacity black cartridge).

ISO/IEC 24711 is another standard that has been adopted for inkjet and solid ink devices. ISO/IEC 24711 is described as “a method for determination of ink cartridge yield for color inkjet printer and multifunction devices that contain printer components.” Reporting format is similar to ISO/IEC 19798 shown above. Different implementations of color tables and color balance optimization among manufacturers can lead to yield variations between color cartridges, even if they have the same toner weight. To account for this, ISO supports a second reporting method called “composite yield,” allowing a single average reporting yield for Cyan, Magenta and Yellow toner cartridges. Black is reported separately as an individual yield. Average Continuous Composite CMY Yield: XX,XXX pages. Average Black Continuous Yield: XX,XXX pages.
ISO/IEC 19752, ISO/IEC CD 19798, and IS0/IEC 24711 specify the use of a standard test page for black-and-white and multiple test pages for color products, explicit testing procedures, statistical sampling, environmental controls and well defined cartridge end-of-life status.

ISO Standard Methods

Because of ISO's explicit test procedures, the ISO standards are the only standardized rigorous method for determining toner & ink cartridge yield for laser, color, and ink jet printers. Some of their key features are:

Using A Standard test document:Use of a standard page printed with printer default settings. This ensures that settings remain consistent across different tests, independent of platform or paper size. The document uses 5% coverage as its basis for comparison. (see photo of document at right)
Number of cartridges tested:Nine of each cartridge are tested, allowing reliable estimates of lowest predicted yield with 95% confidence.
Source for cartridges:Cartridges and printers are purchased on the open market from three different sources. This ensures the cartridges tested are representative of those available to customers and ensures lot variation.
Clear, objective, end-of-life criterion:Determines cartridge yield through measurements that establish an end-of-life criterion based on usable pages and that reflect the manufacturers' recommendations on how cartridges should be handled as they approach their end of life (for example, how many times they should be shaken).
Number of printers:Cartridges are tested on three different printers (three cartridges on each printer) to avoid bias due to printer variability.
Controlled environment:Printing environment is controlled and consistent because temperature and humidity variations affect cartridge yield.
Objectivity:Because of worldwide and industry-wide participation, this reflects objectivity in developing a reliable and rigorous standard.

The ISO/IEC standards allow for objective comparisons of stated toner or ink yields for different printers or MFPs, regardlessof the manufacturer. Many customers use consumable yield information to estimate the toner life they can expect toexperience with their particular use and printer, and the manufacturer's adherence to these ISO/IEC standards enables this comparison. But, it is important to note that the yield is a comparative statistic, and not a real world prediction of the final results. The number of pages that any user will get for their own printer will depend on a variety of factors, with page coverage (square inches of printing, density, and quality settings) having the highest impact. Research has shown that the industry average black-and-white page coverage is between 4% and 5%. There is an inverse relationship between page coverage and toner/ink yield — the lower the page coverage, the more pagesthe toner/ink will print. Conversely, higher coverage pages result in fewer printed pages.

Cartridge yield - Things To Consider

As we indicated in this Guide, many factors affect cartridge yield. These include:

Coverage of the printed document - how much toner is printed on the page. Values are usually based on 5% (page of text) coverage.
Temperature and humidity.
Age Of Cartridge.
Toner "Hopper" or Ink Reservoir Design.
Drum or Print Head Design.
Storage prior to use.
End Of Life Actions (such as shaking).

Q&A On Printer Yield

Q: Can I get the published yield for my specific printer?

A: Unfortunately No. The standards just ensure that the stated printed page yields of different printers are comparable, not what you will actually get (unless you only print thousands of the ISO test page!). Also, the yield page number is not a guaranty that users will getthe declared yields in their own printer (as page coverage has the highest impact on actual yields). User applications running at approximately 5% page coverage under normal office operating conditions can expect on average to experience yields that are fairly close to the ISO declared yields. Home users though may not get anything close, since home printing tends to be much more high coverage graphics, which reduces yields dramatically.

Q: What are the factors that will impact the user's yields the most?

A: The most important factor affecting yield is page coverage. It is not unusual for office or home usage to run above or below that 5% average (for example, if you print a webpage with the Print Background Graphics option on, you could be printing 80%+ coverage). In general, pages with significant dark, shaded, or colored areas (logos or pictures) or a large amount of fine print will generate area coverage much higher than 5%. Other factors thatcan reduce cartridge yield include: higher temperature or higher humidity levels where the printer operates (in laser printers, high humidity can cause clinging or clumping of the toner, and in inkjet can cause evaporation or clogging of the print jets), and using a higher print resolution setting (which causes more dots to be printer per inch resulting in higher density). Color coverage varies by product class, but is generally much higher than black-and-white products. Letter/A4-size color printers and MFPs can have average page coverages in the 7 to 15% range (depending on the application and mix between color and black-and-white documents). Tabloid/A3-size color printers and MFPs tend to drive highercolor page coverages in the range of 10 to 30% in office environments. In graphic arts environments, average color page coverages can increase to the 40 to 60% range. In the home, coverage can be even higher since home users tend to be less aware of options and use best quality regardless of need.