12 Facts About Solid ink

Solid ink is a waxy resin-based polymer that must be melted prior to usage, unlike conventional liquid inks.

Solid ink is the name for ink that is solid at room temperature.

Wax was formally introduced in the first Solid ink product introduced with Continuous Inkjets in the Teletype Inktronic Terminal in 1966 but the patent for Hot-melt wax did not issue until Patent US3653932 April 4, 1972.

The Pixelmaster printer used "Hot melt" Thermoplastic Solid ink jetted by piezo crystals that could spit out millions of small droplets of Solid ink of each of the primary colors- red, green and blue - as well as black, on to a piece of paper.

Solid ink is a 3D material used in a single nozzle and used in Multi-nozzle (bender or piston style fluid chambers with electro-formed orifice plates) inkjets.

The Howtek Solid Ink was molded in 4 different color shapes to fit into the Pixelmaster and later in the Braillemaster printers.

Solid ink technology utilizes solid ink sticks, crayons, pearls or granular solid material instead of the fluid ink or toner powder usually used in printers.

Excellent results can be achieved with low-quality stock, as the Solid ink covers the stock with a glossy, almost opaque, surface.

Solid ink printers are able to print on many different types and thicknesses of media.

Solid blocks of ink are used, there is less waste generated than is with laser printers or inkjet printers, which produce empty ink or toner cartridges, in addition to packaging and packing materials.

Solid ink printers have an advantage over ink-jet printers for situations involving intermittent use with long periods of downtime.

Once the printer has warmed up, Solid ink can be melted significantly faster, so the melting process will have a much less noticeable negative impact on the overall speed at which additional pages are printed.