Ink Ribbon and Cartridges

What is Ink Ribbon?

The ink ribbon is, well, a ribbon of ink. It is a type of printing method. To transfer ink to paper, an ink-soaked strip is impacted, It can be made of a variety of materials. This ink-soaked strip is commonly used in many other tools such as printing calculators, fax machines, point-of-sale systems, cash registers, ...etc.

Ink ribbons are really affordable and it is known for its efficiency, ink ribbon dates back to the first typewriters. The quality of the printer output is based on the quality of the ink ribbon. Therefore before choosing an ink ribbon, we should think about the quality of it.

Let's see the difference between Ink Cartridges, Toner, and Ink Ribbon: These days, we have many options to get ink onto paper. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages: different printing technologies work for different printing requirements. Here is a short overview of three of the most common ink technologies out there:

Ink Cartridges: Inkjet printers are working with ink cartridges. Cartridges are filled with liquid ink that is sprayed onto paper through tiny nozzles to get the print on it. The nozzles are really tiny, it's around the size of a human hair.

For home and office needs, commonly we are using ink cartridges. One disadvantage is often run out quickly and can be costly to constantly replace. Sometimes, if we do not use often enough, they can even dry out. The best way to keep your inkjet healthy is to try to print at least once a week.

Toner: Toner is used in laser printers. It is actually a very fine powder. This method is entirely different from cartridges. To map out what you are printing on a metal drum inside the printer, this method uses a static charge. Toner has a longer shelf life than other ink methods, because of the low moisture content. It is cheaper than liquid ink. Available in larger containers.