An
Alternative to Epson Piezo PrinterHeads, Xaar
Why
do 90% of the wide format printer specs not list the kind
of printheads their printers use? FLAAR has now made a list
of what printheads are in which printers, so you know what
is under the hood of that printer you are dreaming about purchasing.
This list is available in the FLAAR report on Piezo
vs Thermal, fact vs fiction, pros and cons.
Piezo-electric
printhead ads claim they are the best. But are they really?
Why can Hewlett-Packard get such speed and quality from thermal
printheads? What about piezo printheads from Spectra, Trident,
Hitachi Koki, Ott, Sharp, Brother and other companies?
Many
people who know that Epson heads are piezo-electric naturally
presume that these are the only piezo heads that exist. Actually
Xaar makes piezo-electric printheads used in more different
brands of printers than Epson heads. Yet each of these heads,
Xaar, and Epson, have significant downsides. Yes, each has
its own major beneficial attributes as well: those are what
the advertisements lure you with. But if you are going to
spend your hard-earned money on a new printer, perhaps you
have a right to know the disadvantages of each printhead design
also. Naturally even the Hewlett-Packard and Encad's Lexmark
thermal printheads have their disadvantages just as well as
their special capabilities.
We
review the Xaar heads in printers from XES Xerox, the Xerox
Xpress as well as the Orion
printer from Gerber.
Some
ads claim piezo-electric printheads are permanent! But that
implies you never have to change them. But a Roland Hi-Fi
printer user reported his heads failed after a few rolls of
paper. Then a Roland dealer confirmed that indeed their heads
are not permanent, and do have to be changed about every year
and a half (which costs about $550.00, per head, to have a
technician come and replace your printhead).
HP
heads are designed to be replaced, indeed you order them with
your ink. You can replace them yourself (just plug and print).
An HP printhead costs about $80. You can print between 2000
and 4000 square feet of media before you reach this point.
Because
of the increase in questions about piezo vs thermal printheads,
fact vs fiction, FLAAR editors have prepared a report that
dissects the false claims of some printhead manufacturers.
For help making your decision write for the FLAAR Report
on Piezo vs Thermal, fact vs fiction, pros and cons.
If
you are about to buy a first-time printer, or upgrade to a
new printer, perhaps you might like some facts about the various
printheads. Don't worry, its not a technical report, just
some basic information to help guide you through the hype
and misleading claims in advertising.
For
additional information and for help making your decision,
ask for the "FLAAR report on signs, posters, banners"
(specify whether for indoor signs or outdoor signs in the
rain and sun) or for the FLAAR report on "Piezo vs Thermal
printheads, fact vs fiction, pros and cons of each kind of
inkjet printhead."
If
you really want technical details on inkjet media, inks, and/or
inkjet printhead technology, and especially if you wish to
meet the movers and shakers in this industry, be sure to sign
up for the next conference organized by IMI. Their
contact is imi@tdstelme.net.
These seminars are outstanding; the senior review editor of
FLAAR usually attends because he can get so much fresh information
for the readers of the FLAAR Reports in PDF format and the
FLAAR Information Network of web sites.
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reports by Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth
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Links
Updated : August 02/2001
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