THIS IS AN INK CARTRIDGE WITH THE PRINT HEAD INTEGRATED.

These are cartridges that are used in Pitney Bowes, Astrojet, Secap, Bryce, and Rena address machines.

The colors in this series are; Red, Yellow, Green, and Blue.

This is spot-color ink.  Using a limited number of color inks, or specific color inks in addition to the primary colors, is referred to as “spot color” printing. Generally, spot-color inks are specific formulations that are designed to print alone, rather than to blend with other inks on the paper to produce various hues and shades.

This ink is designed to print on non-porous substrates.  Non-porous substrates include metals, plastics, films, and fiberboard coated with various polymers.  Basically, surfaces where the ink dries onto the media rather than be absorbed into the media such as with paper.

 

Not Recognizing

 

Verify they have the correct cartridge for their specific model printer.

 

There may be a piece of tape present on the cartridge that covers the print head and some of the contacts.  Make sure this piece of tape has been removed if it’s present.

 

Using a coffee filter or a lint-free cloth gently wipe the gold/copper connection points found on the side of the cartridge.  Sometimes if dried ink, finger print oil, or some of the tape residue stays on the contacts it can cause the cartridge not to recognize.

 

The ink level is manually reset during the cartridge replacement by the user.  Make sure they selected “YES” after installing the new cartridge when the printer prompted if a new cartridge was installed.  If it was not, then the cartridge will still read as low or empty.  See the replacement instructions below.

 

To remove and install this cartridge into a Pitney Bowes W680 machine do the following;

–          With the print on, press the On Line key until the display reads OFF LINE.

–          Open the Transport Door of the printer.

–          Press the Cartridge key on the control panel.  This moves the carriage to the middle of the printer.

–          To remove the ink cartridge, place your thumb on the grooved surface and press down until it pops loose.

–          Lift the print cartridge out of the cradle.

–          The cartridges being installed will be dependent on the printing that is being done.  Black cartridges install in the left slot while the different available color cartridges go into the right slot.  Gently insert the cartridge into the carriage at approximately a 20 degree angle with the copper strip to the bottom and in first.  Press down on the cartridge until it is seated.

 

–          Push the cartridge forward (away from you) until it snaps in place.

 

–          Close the Transport Door.

–          The prompt asks about resetting the ink level.  Select “YES”.

–          Press ENTER.  The display returns to the “OFFLINE” screen.

 

Print Quality Issues

 

There is a black plastic protective clip on the outside of the cartridge which must be removed prior to installation.  It will snap off.

There is a protective piece of tape that covers the print head and some of the contacts which must be removed.  Make sure this tape has been removed.

 

The print head is located on the bottom of the cartridge.  Do NOT touch the print head with your fingers.  Take a warm damp paper towel or coffee filter and blot the cartridge with the print heads facing down onto the paper towel to remove the dried ink on the print head. Then, taking a DRY paper towel or coffee filter, hold the cartridge down against the paper towel for 2-3 minutes. A dry paper towel will wick the ink out. Do not wipe the print head as this may cause damage.

 

 

 

Click on the YouTube video below to watch a video on performing the paper towel method

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqCWn-S9cgo[/youtube]

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There is a print head purging feature on the machine to help clean the print head.  To run this cleaning do the following;

–          Press the + or – buttons to scroll through the Setup Menu options until 3. PURGE TEST HEAD appears on the LCD panel.

–          Press the ENTER button to select this option.

–          To select Purge Print Head cycle, press ENTER when the “Purge Print Head?” message displays.

–          Press the + button to being cleaning.  The display will read “Please Wait….Ink Jets being purged”.

–          Once finished, press the Menu button to back out of the menu until the printer displays “OFF LINE”.  Then press the On Line button to enable the printer.

 

Not Fitting

 

There may be a protective clip on the outside of the cartridge which must be removed.  If the customer is saying the cartridge looks too big they probably have not removed this protective clip.  The clip will just snap off the cartridge.

 

Verify they have the correct cartridge for their specific machine.