Epson's ISO standards for printer performance

Enter the world of Epson, where our unwavering dedication is to offer you precise and reliable insights into printer performance. Page yield is a fundamental aspect of your printing requirements, and to ensure that you have access to the most accurate information, we strictly adhere to the esteemed ISO testing methodologies. Within this comprehensive guide, we will delve deeply into the various ISO standards applied across different printer categories and provide you with valuable insights into our rigorous testing procedures.

Ink yields and genuine Epson ink information:

Epson ink cartridge compatibility:

• Epson ink cartridge printers are specifically designed for use with Epson genuine cartridges.

• Third party cartridges are not tested or approved by Epson for use in Epson printers and may not operate effectively or consistently. Page yield tests only include Epson genuine cartridges.

Firmware updates and genuine ink:

• Epson periodically issues firmware updates to address security concerns, enhance performance, and rectify minor bugs, ensuring your printer functions as intended.

• It is important to note that your printer is optimally designed to work with genuine Epson ink cartridges. The use of third-party ink may have an impact on the functionality of your printer.

Document yields and ISO standards:

ISO ink page yields for Epson ink cartridges:

• Colour yields are established in accordance with ISO standards for individual colour cartridges.

• Yields are determined through the average of continuous printing.

• Individual cartridges allow for the convenient replacement of exhausted colours.

ISO ink cartridge page yields – Testing methodology:

• Epson's testing of ink cartridge page yields adheres to the ISO/IEC 24711 (method) and 24712 (patterns) standards.

• The testing process involves a suite of five patterns (as defined by ISO/IEC 24712) printed continuously.

• Cartridges are replaced when the printer signals cartridge depletion.

• Testing is conducted at a controlled temperature in Default Mode on plain paper with print commands from a late model PC.

• Declared yields are rounded down to ensure accuracy and reliability as per the ISO standard.

ISO ink page yields for Epson ink packs:

• Colour yields for individual ink packs are determined through continuous printing.

• Individual ink packs allow for the selective replacement of exhausted colours.

ISO ink pack page yields – Testing methodology:

• Epson's testing of ink pack page yields follows the ISO/IEC 24711 standards adapted to the fact that ink capacities of packs exceed those of individual ink cartridges and using the ISO/IEC 24712 patterns.

• The testing process includes a suite of five patterns printed continuously.

• Ink packs, including the initial ink packs, are replaced when the printer indicates exhaustion.

• Testing is carried out at a controlled temperature in Default Mode on plain paper with print commands from a late model PC.

• Declared yields are rounded down to ensure accuracy and reliability.

ISO ink page yields for Epson ink bottles:

• Colour yields for individual ink bottles are determined through continuous printing.

• Individual ink bottles allow the user to refill exhausted colours.

Epson ink bottle yields – Testing methodology:

• Epson's testing of ink bottle yields are based on adaptation of the ISO/IEC 24711 methodology because initial ink cannot be extracted from the ink tank and utilising the ISO/IEC 24712 patterns.

• The testing process includes a suite of five patterns printed continuously.

• Ink tanks are refilled when the printer indicates exhaustion.

• Testing is conducted at a controlled temperature in Default Mode on plain paper with print commands from a late model PC.

• Declared yields are rounded down to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Photo yields and ISO standards:

ISO photo yields for Epson ink cartridges:

• Photo yields are determined in accordance with ISO/IEC 29102 standards.

• The testing process involves a suite of six patterns as defined by ISO/IEC 29103 and printed continuously.

• Cartridges are replaced when the printer signals exhaustion.

• Testing is carried out at a controlled temperature in the default Photo Mode on 4" x 6" photo paper.

• Declared yields are rounded down to meet ISO standards for accuracy.

Ink Consumption:

Effects of Prolonged Exposure to Extreme Conditions:

• Prolonged exposure to extreme environmental conditions may result in the evaporation of ink from cartridges, ink packs, bottles, and tanks.

• This phenomenon can potentially lead to a reduction in the available ink volume.

• Various rare factors, including significant altitude and temperature variations, contribute to this phenomenon.

Remaining Ink at the "Ink End" Point:

• When reaching the "Ink End" point, some ink remains in the cartridges to prevent air from entering the printhead nozzles.

• In cartridges, the "Ink End" point is activated by a physical sensor integrated into the cartridge.

• Additionally, there will always be some ink left in the ink cartridge, bottle, ink pack, or tank due to the natural adherence of ink to the container.

• It's important to note that for replacement cartridges and ink packs, the remaining ink is not considered part of the ISO page yield.

Printhead Maintenance:

• Several Epson printers feature scheduled cleaning cycles designed to uphold the functionality of the printhead.

• These routine maintenance processes consume a limited amount of ink, with the specific amount varying depending on the printer and the required cleaning.

Ink Maintenance:

• Printers are equipped with ink pads (maintenance boxes and waste pads) for maintenance purposes.

• These ink pads consist of porous materials within the printer that collect, distribute, and contain excess ink that is not utilized on printed pages.

• Ink is gathered by these pads during the initial product setup, cleaning cycles, and when printing borderless photographs.

Impact of Continuing to Print with Non-Usable Ink Pads:

• Continuing to print with non-usable ink pads may lead to a decline in the overall printing quality.

• It can also affect the longevity of more critical components of the printer.

• Epson printers are programmed to display an "end of life service" message at a predetermined point in the expected lifespan of the ink pad.

• This timing is set to align with the replacement of the printer for other reasons, ensuring that most users do not receive this message prematurely.

• However, high-volume users or those who use the printer for many years may receive this message regarding ink pads before other components reach the end of their usable life.

• Users who wish to continue using the printer under such circumstances can reach out to Epson Customer Support.

• For user-replaceable maintenance boxes, customers can purchase a replacement maintenance box once the printer indicates it is full.

• In some cases, a full maintenance box may exhibit clean or white spaces.

Initial Ink:

• The cartridges, ink packs, or bottles provided with the printer are intended for the initial printer setup and not for resale.

• After a portion of ink is used for priming, the remaining ink is available for actual printing.

Ink Yield Communication:

• Epson adheres to the ISO standard for communicating ink yields.

• Information regarding ink volume in millilitres is provided for certain inks as required by law or for large format and commercial printers.

• When provided, the ink volume represents the fill volume of ink at the time of manufacture.

• It's important to note that Epson does not recommend using ink volume as the sole basis for comparing printers using different types of cartridges, ink packs, bottles, or ink supply systems.

• Different printing systems may utilise ink in varying ways, making comparisons based solely on ink volume inadequate.