From the mechanical printers made in the 1900s to inkjet, laser, and solvent printers, it is safe to say that the printing business has evolved marvelously with time. To be able to take advantage of these different models properly, and get the best quality works, we need to know about the distinct features they offer, along with the advantages they hold. So, we bring this article with the aim to inform you about Epson solvent printers and inkjet printers which will help you select a type that will cater to your needs.
Contents
Expert Tips for Epson Solvent Printers Vs Inkjet Printers
- Epson solvent printers are perfect for businesses that need to produce large quantities of prints quickly and efficiently
- Inkjet printers can be used for a variety of purposes, including printing photos, documents, and brochures
- Solvent printers use ink that is dissolved in a solvent, whereas inkjet printers use water-based ink
- Solvent printers are more expensive than inkjet printers but they offer better quality prints and faster printing speeds
- If you're looking for a printer that can handle high volumes of printing with excellent quality, then a solvent printer is the best option
What Is A Solvent Printer?
While using an inkjet printer, if you swap out regularly used aqueous ink with pigment solvent ink, then the printing method is referred to as solvent printing (also known as Solvent). This ink is made from organic solvents and is said to grip onto the media, allowing it to be resistant to many atmospheric conditions like water, sunlight, etc.
When it comes to quality, solvent printing provides superior quality images due to microscopic precision levels; images always look realistic and sharp. Resistance to weather conditions, and ability to print on a wide range of media like textiles, mesh banner, magnetic receptive media, front-lit media, back-lit media, plastic, wood, and many more pressure sensitive vinyl media makes it the most desired choice when in need of printing something for outdoors (like banners, signboards, etc.).
Solvent inks are of three types, hard solvent, mild solvent, and eco solvent. Out of the three, hard solvent is more toxic with high proportions of cyclohexanol, allowing a maximum resolution of 360 dpi. Mild solvent inks are slightly less toxic as they have lower cyclohexanol content, but they also have lesser durability (2 years maximum). A resolution of 700 dpi is supported, automatically making it a better choice than hard solvent. Both of these are accompanied by an irritating smell.
Eco solvent on the other hand is completely non-toxic making it the safer option for both the environment and our sakes. It lasts for about 2 to 3 years and lets you print images with 1000 dpi resolution making it the best choice when it comes to solvent printing.
Is Epson Ecotank A Solvent Printer?
The Epson Ecotank is an amazing wireless printer that does support solvent printing. Eco-solvent ink is used for printing, scanning, and copying allowing it to be tagged as an eco-friendly printer that is praised by all. Some of its most highlighted features include cartridge-free printing and the ability to connect to Wi-Fi and print directly from a phone or laptop from anywhere.
How Long Does Eco Solvent Ink Last?
When something is printed using eco solvent ink, it usually lasts for at least three years before the print starts fading. This makes it highly suitable for outdoor use. Many adverts, posters, banners, etc. are printed using eco solvent ink. Eco solvent ink itself can be used for a long time. It has a lifespan of around two years, after which, for your printer's safety you should consider throwing it out.
Pros & Cons Of Eco Solvent Printing Solution:
Like everything, the eco solvent printing solution has its downsides along with a lot of perks. We will list some of the advantages and disadvantages below to help you get to know Eco solvent printing solution better.
Pros
- Eco solvent ink offers a glossy finish that non-solvent inks aren't capable of providing.
- Outstanding printing quality.
- Prints resistant to water and UV rays.
- Doesn't remove any toxic fumes when printing.
- Supports printing on a huge range of media.
- Eco solvent ink requires a lesser amount of time to dry compared to other solvent inks.
- Eco-solvent ink causes almost no damage to printer heads.
- Requires very little maintenance.
Cons
- Things printed using eco solvent inks are less durable than those printed using hard solvent ink.
- Unlike aqueous or powdered ink, it requires time to dry.
What Is An Inkjet Printer?
Inkjet printers print amazing quality images by spraying tiny droplets of aqueous ink. To stop the ink from bleeding behind the back, specially designed printers are used. Inkjet printers are especially good at printing images with resolutions ranging as high as 3600 dpi. People who regularly print photos find inkjet printers really useful.
Most houses these days have an inkjet printer that also serves as a copier, scanner, and at times a faxing machine too; one can access all these outstanding features at a surprisingly low price. However, ink cartridges require frequent changing increasing user's expenses; thus, users are often advised to keep the cost per page in mind before buying.
Inkjet printers can be used to print brochures, photographs, signs, billboards, etc. Most inkjet printers allow printing on photo paper, transfer paper, plain paper, and a few other media.
Advantages And Disadvantages Of Inkjet Printer
Now to get to know inkjet printers a little better, some advantages and disadvantages!
Advantages
- The cost of inkjet printers is less.
- These printers are usually compact making them the perfect addition to workspaces.
- Lightweight allows them to be portable.
- Requires very little time to startup.
- Stunning output quality.
- Not very noisy.
Disadvantages
- Ink cartridges are expensive, meaning the cost per page increases.
- Printer heads get clogged with time increasing maintenance costs.
- Slow printing speed uses up a lot of time when printing a large number of documents. Laser printers have a higher printing speed.
- Ink smudges when in contact with liquid making it hard to use a highlighter on top.
- Ink at times bleeds through the page.
- The printer head is not very durable.
- Not suitable for making high-volume prints.
Is Inkjet The Same As Eco-Solvent?
No, inkjet and eco-solvent printers differ in their printing methods. Inkjets use aqueous ink that is sprayed onto papers while eco-solvent printers use solvent inks. Solvent inks serve more vibrant prints, making eco-solvent printers supply some gorgeous colored prints. Inkjet printers on the other hand usually allow prints with higher resolution.
Do Inkjet Printers Use Solvent Ink?
There are some special solvent inkjet printers available that can use solvent ink. Not all inkjet printer heads are suitable for solvent ink, so before buying solvent ink, you need to make sure your inkjet printer supports its usage.
Inkjet Printers vs Epson Solvent Printers in Detail
If you're in the market for a new printer, you may be wondering whether an inkjet or solvent printer is the better option. Here's a quick rundown of the key differences between these two types of printers to help you make a decision:
Inkjet printers use liquid ink that is sprayed onto the paper through tiny nozzles. This makes them ideal for printing high-quality images and photos. However, inkjet printers can be more expensive to run than solvent printers because the ink can be costly.
Epson Solvent Printers use special inks that dry quickly and don't smudge. This makes them ideal for businesses that need to print large quantities of documents quickly. However, solvent inks can be more expensive than regular inks, and they may not produce as high-quality of an image.
So, which type of printer is right for you? It really depends on your needs. If you need to print high-quality images, an inkjet printer is probably your best bet. However, if you need to print large quantities of documents quickly, a solvent printer might be a better option.
Conclusion for The Difference Between a Epson Solvent Printer and a Inkjet Printer
The main difference between a Epson solvent printer and an inkjet printer is that the former uses inks that are dissolved in solvents, while the latter uses water-based inks. As a result, Epson solvent printers are more expensive than inkjet printers. In terms of print quality, however, Epson solvent printers are superior to inkjet printers. This is because the solvent inks used by EpsonSolvent printers produce sharper and more vibrant colors than water-based inks used by inkjet printers.
In terms of speed, Epson solvent printers are also faster than inkjet printers. This is because the solvents used by Epson dissolve the inks more quickly than water can, allowing the printer to print at a faster rate. Finally, Epson solvent printers are more durable than inkjet printers. This is because the solvents used by Epson protect theprint heads from clogging, which can occur with water-based inks. As a result, Epson solvent printers require less maintenance than inkjet printers.
