Toner Conference 2013: Technical Wrap-Up

2013 Toner Conference was held on June 2-4 in Santa Barbara, California. Many technical issues have been discussed.

In Session 1, who other than Dr. Ray A. Work III, could have better extolled the virtues of Hewlett Packard’s latest contender for a piece of the office printing market? Indeed, in the ensuing Panel Discussion, 5 experts attempting to divine “The Path Forward” for the toner industry were beset by a tangle of unsettled legal issues and the looming impact of HP’s latest Officejet Pro X Printer.

Many experts believe this new inkjet printer will finally break through the wall that has been impenetrable to numerous inkjet office printer wannabes that have come along in years past. However, there is another factor to consider. China’s answer to the outstanding inventors of the Western world is Dr. Bobo Wang. A Co-Founder and CEO of Microtek International Inc., he is credited with creating the first commercial desktop scanner. His new company, Aetas Technology Company, Ltd., has modified the electrophotographic (EPG) process as we know it, replacing the laser beam and spinning mirror optical train with a fixed, page wide array of high-performance, extremely small, long-life LEDs.  Dr. Wang made his impact on electronic imaging with his novel micro-scanning technology, his next contribution is embodied in the Aetas S2005N and S2406N color LED printers.

The Aetas S2005N printer will most likely be priced in the sub-$400 range. It is capable of operating with conventional dry toner at speeds of 20 ppm for monochrome and 5 ppm for color. The printer uses a clever IOI (image on image) development system that allows development of the full color image on a photoreceptor belt for a single transfer to the receiver substrate, thereby avoiding image spread common with multiple transfers. Finally, the page wide LED array is positioned inside a transparent, endless OPC belt loop, thereby making for an extremely compact assembly.

With unique and innovative color EPG technology, including DC jumping toner, Aetas will provide affordable color copiers, printers and multi-function peripherals (MFPs) for homes and offices large and small.

Perhaps the true bottom line is that within the coming year, digital color printing will be within everyone’s reach. Whether it will be on an ink jet or an EPG printer, laser or LED-based, that my friends, appears to be The Path Forward!

BY Art Diamond, Senior Consulting Editor of Recycling Times