1. What does it mean to refill  ink jet cartridges?

2. How many times can I refill a cartridge?  

3. When is it time to refill a cartridge?

4. Will refilling void the OEM's Warranty on my printer?

5. What is the proper way to handle a cartridge?  

6. Is the ink quality important?  

7. Where do I find empty cartridges and how do I collect empty cartridges?

8. Why would companies sell or donate their empty cartridges to me?

9. Which cartridge types should I start refilling?

10. What success rate can I expect?

11. How important is the cleaning process?

12. What cleaning method should I use?

13. If I buy a filling machine, can I start recycling cartridges?

14. Where can I buy the best ink?

15. What is the minimum number of cartridges I need to recycle per month to justify buying your machines?

16. When I buy your machines, will I be able to recycle all the different cartridges with just the operations manual as a guide?

17. How important is the print test?

1. What does it mean to refill ink jet cartridges?  

Refilling means recycling your ink jet cartridge, mostly containing the print head on the cartridge itself. Refilling is good for the environment and can save you a lot of money on your cartridge cost, too.  

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2. How many times can I refill a cartridge ?

You can refill your cartridge until the cartridge wears out, then you purchase a new cartridge. There is no fixed answer to this question because it varies from cartridge to cartridge. In general, you can recycle your cartridge up to 8 to 10 times, but it just depends on the cartridge's condition.  

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3. When is time to refill a cartridge?

It is always recommended to refill a cartridge before it runs dry or to refill an empty cartridge immediately. Otherwise, ink may dry out and block the print head. The print head consists of very thin, small nozzles backed by a thermal resistor that boils and cools the ink.  

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4. Will refilling void the OEM's warranty on my printer? 

The OEMs have warnings of voiding the printer warranty when using recycled cartridges. However, refilling applies only to the disposable cartridge and has nothing to do with the printer.  

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5. What is the proper way to handle a cartridge? 

Always handle your cartridge with care. Do not touch the nozzles with your hands. When the cartridge sits outside the printer unwrapped, the ink will dry out and then the nozzles may get clogged.
You cannot get a good print output with the blocked cartridge after it is refilled. The best way is to refill the cartridge before it runs out of ink or keep the empty cartridge wrapped in a zip lock bag for storage.  

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6. Is the ink quality important? 

Yes, ink quality makes a big difference. The print head on your cartridge may get clogged or destroyed by the ink that cannot match the OEM's specifications such as drying time, density, boiling points, viscosity, surface tension, L*a*b* color values and PH value.

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7.  Where do I find empty cartridges and how do I collect empty cartridges?

There are thousands of great empty cartridge sources in the U.S. and around the world. Banks, insurance related businesses, stock brokerage firms and financial related institutions, hospitals, government agencies, schools, small /medium / large manufacturing and other businesses.
Let’s keep it simple: Any company that generates a lot of paperwork, also generates a lot of empty cartridges.

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8. Why would companies sell or donate their empty cartridges to me?

Most companies have printers, copiers and fax machines that use copy cartridges, toner cartridges and ink cartridges. All original equipment cartridge manufacturers such as Hewlett Packard, Xerox, Lexmark, Canon, Sharp, Panasonic and others ask their cartridge users to return empty cartridge back to them, the original manufacturer... BUT THEY DON'T PAY THE SENDER FOR RETURNED CARTRIDGES.
These manufacturers try to push on their cartridge users that it is good for the environment to return their empty cartridge (for free) to them. Many companies send back their cartridges to the original manufacturer and many companies simply throw them in the trash. Either way, they don't get a cent. 

YOUR CUSTOMERS RECEIVE MONEY OR HELP YOUR FUNDRAISING GROUP FOR THEIR EMPTY CARTRIDGES WHILE HELPING THE ENVIRONMENT

Persuading your prospective customers to sell their cartridges to you is no sales pitch. You are providing your customer with additional revenue by purchasing something from them that they throw in the trash or gave away for free. If you are a non profit fundraising group, most people and companies would want to help your organization by donating their empty cartridges instead of throwing them in the trash (Ultimately these non-biodegradable cartridges would end up in landfills) or giving them away for free.

There is really only one question you need to ask your perspective customer...

" WHAT IS BETTER FOR YOUR COMPANY (or your employees): THROWING YOUR EMPTY CARTRIDGES IN THE TRASH, SENDING THEM BACK TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FREE OR SELLING THEM or DONATING THEM TO US."  

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9.  Which cartridge types should I start refilling?

That depends on your market. However, the following cartridge types represent more than 90% of the typical range: 51626, 51629, 51645, 51641, 51625, 51649, BC 01/02.

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10.  What success rate can I expect?

The recycling success rate or yield varies by cartridge type. For example the 51626 has an average yield of 85-95% whereas the 51629 can be expected to be at 65-85%. One of the reasons is the difference in the quality of the housings. The 51629 cartridges tend to have many physical defects such as vacuum leaks between housing and lid, loose contacts, etc.

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11.  How important is the cleaning process?

Successfully cleaning the cartridges and unclogging the nozzles is one of the keys to a profitable recycling operation. The difference can mean a 50% increase in recycling cartridge yield.

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12.  What cleaning method should I use?

Different equipment suppliers advocate various cleaning methods. We recommend hot water flushing because it is a gentle cleaning method. Comparison tests have shown that the hot flushing method provides the best overall success rate without harming the print heads. Steam tends to damage the ink supply channels underneath the nozzle plate in HP cartridges. Ultrasonic cleaning by itself is highly ineffective and, at an incorrect frequency and amplitude will destroy the nozzle area.

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13.  If I buy a filling machine, can I start recycling cartridges?

Not quite. Refilling is only part of it. The exact recycling process depends on the cartridge type. In general it includes: 
a) electrical testing of the circuit
b) cleaning and unclogging of nozzles
c) refilling
d) test printing
e) sealing of print head
f) packaging

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14.  Where can I buy the best ink?

There are numerous good ink manufacturers in the USA as well as Europe, but no one manufacturer has the best ink for all different types of cartridges. Ink Solution has gone through extensive testing in its production facility to find the best ink for each cartridge type. We sell what we use in our production, thereby improving your success rate. 

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15.  What is the minimum number of cartridges I need to recycle per month to justify buying your machines?

Assuming a 1 year payback on all equipment is needed, USD 1.50 for recycling supplies including ink, USD 5.50 for the empty cartridge, one can start to recycle cartridges professionally with as little as 50 cartridges per month.

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16.  When I buy your machines, will I be able to recycle all the different cartridges with just the operations manual as a guide?

Yes, the recycling process varies from cartridge to cartridge. When you buy our machines, you receive a comprehensive technical operations and maintenance manual. The manual, does contain a description on how to refill cartridges. Ink Solution is the only equipment supplier worldwide who also offers comprehensive process training classes, in our facility at no charge. Knowing the process is the key to a successful recycling operation. 

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17.  How important is the print test?

In order to guarantee high quality, it is essential to print test all remanufactured cartridges. However, the printer's self test print is not sufficient because the print coverage is not enough. We offer you a program to use with page maker to test your cartridges.

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