consumables - oki service · 10/2009 introduction this document provides an informative guide about...

Presenting a watertight case for using Original Consumables instead of non-OEM imaging supplies

The Essential Guide to Original Consumables

Consumables

� 10/2009

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Overview of the argument in favour of Original Consumables . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Claims and counter-claims . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Buyer beware: the hidden agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Cost of ownership model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Quality and technical issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Evaluation testing and results . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Toner cartridge testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Ribbon testing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

10/2009 � �

Introduction

This document provides an

informative guide about

the advantages of Original

Consumables over non-OEM

(Original Equipment Manufacturer)

imaging supplies . The content

will be of specific interest to OKI

Printing Solutions Regional Sales

Managers, their distributors

and resellers .

For some two decades we have

only been able to scratch at the

surface of the threat to our business

and potential damage to our

customers’ printer hardware from

non-OEM supplies .

Although we have made significant

inroads to the threat of counterfeit

product through our own intellectual

property initiatives and our

strategic alliance with the Imaging

Consumables Coalition of Europe

(ICCE), we have not been able to

achieve the same level of success

against non-genuine supplies .

Now, that is about to change . We

have tangible evidence that non-

genuine supplies are, generally,

inferior to Original Consumables .

Also, we have feedback from

customers who have experienced

a range of print quality issues after

they opted for non-genuine product

instead of the recommended

Original Consumables .

We have real ammunition to fire

now as we raise the bar in the

battle against non-OEM product .

Consumables EMEA Division is

producing a range of materials

to assist all channel partners to

convince customers that there is

no sensible substitute for


The case for Original Consumables

is not just about protecting either

the integrity of our brand or an

important revenue stream for OKI

Printing Solutions . We have a duty

of care to educate and advise our

present and future customers

so that they can make informed

decisions about purchasing Original

Consumables and subsequently

enjoy the advantages that can only

be found with our genuine supplies .

� 10/2009

Definitions

By its definition, in printing terms,

a consumable is a replaceable item

that is “consumed” during the

process of document output . This

includes toner and toner cartridges,

ribbons, image drums, transfer

belts, fuser units and media (paper,

labels, staples and card) .

Counterfeitconsumables

Counterfeit consumables are

designed, manufactured and

packaged to look like genuine OKI

Printing Solutions consumables .

Counterfeit products can enter the

supply chain at any point and, to

the untrained eye, they can often

be difficult to differentiate from our

genuine supplies .

Apart from the likelihood of

damaging the printer and

producing inferior print quality

and performance, you should be

aware that counterfeit consumables

are illegal . The manufacture,

supply, purchase or possession

of counterfeit consumables is a

criminal offence that can result

in prosecution .

Compatibles

Usually toner cartridges and

printer ribbons that are newly

manufactured and sold via

dealerships, independents

or Internet sites as

‘own brand’ products .

GenuineandOriginalConsumables

A consumable that has been

developed and manufactured by

the OEM to work exclusively with

the appropriate hardware (printers,

fax machines and multi-function

products) and marketed through its

official channel partners .

OKI Printing Solutions Original

Consumables can be identified

clearly by their product packaging

and on-product labelling . OKI

Printing Solutions does not produce

remanufactured imaging supplies .

10/2009 �

Definitions

Remanufactured

Mostly toner cartridges that started

life as either a new Original or a

new compatible that have been

rebuilt or reused one or more

times . These may or may not have

had components replaced and are

refilled with a generic toner powder .

Through its Collection and Returns

Programme, OKI Printing Solutions

has its own processes for recycling

and reusing components from its


Cartridgerenewal

Often referred to as recharging,

this process involves the customer

returning their used consumable

to an external supplier to have the

cartridge refilled with a generic

toner – or simply buying a

refilled cartridge off the shelf

or the Internet .

OKI Printing Solutions does not

recommend this option as an

alternative to purchasing Original

Consumables:

1 The recharging process is not

carried out by the Original

manufacturer . This increases

the likelihood of incompatible

components being introduced

to the cartridge when it is

stripped down

� As OKI Printing Solutions has no

control over the manufacture of

third party toner or the quality

control in the recharging process,

we cannot vouch for the quality of

toner or resulting print output

Tonerrefills

Instead of replacing the toner

cartridge when toner is consumed,

toner refills offer a DIY approach

to replacing toner . Normally sold

in plastic containers, toner refills

require the user to follow a series

of instructions to transfer the toner

from its supplied container to the

spent cartridge . Often this may

require breaking into the cartridge

and the use of special tools .

Toner refills are messy and this

process may result in toner spillage

and damage to the cartridge . In

addition, as the user is expected to

make an incision to the cartridge

(in order to insert the toner)

there is the potential for personal

injury . As many bottled toners do

not carry any guidance as to the

content, there is a risk of inhaling

a potentially dangerous substance .

Furthermore, as OKI Printing

Solutions cannot validate the

composition of the toner refill

this is an option that we would

never recommend .

It should be noted that the terms

‘compatible’, ‘remanufactured’

and ‘refilled’ are often misused .

For example, in some instances

a compatible cartridge can be a

remanufactured product so the

end-user can never be certain of

what they are buying .Examples of tools and kits currently available on the market

� 10/2009

Overview of the argument

For more than two decades, OKI

Printing Solutions has maintained

and actively promoted the virtues of

using Original Consumables instead

of non-OEM imaging supplies .

At times during this period, it

has been difficult to substantiate

some of the “promotional” claims

about the advantages of Original

Consumables . But with a significant

increase recently in the installed

base of OKI Printing Solutions

printer hardware together with the

proliferation of non-OEM supplies it

is now possible to support – visually

and technically – every aspect of

the claims we have been making .

The principal advantages of

OKI Printing Solutions Original

Consumables over non-OEM

supplies may be summarised as:

• Benchmark print quality

• Maximises printer life

• Less paper jams

• Improves printer reliability

• Cost-effective and long-term value for money

• Full manufacturer’s support

• Enhances productivity in the workplace

• Free three-year warranty on printer hardware

• Peace of mind

Fundamental to these advantages

is that OKI Printing Solutions

develops and manufactures its

imaging supplies to work in perfect

harmony with the appropriate

printer hardware . Our Original

Consumables are high-precision

products with the toner, lubricants,

ribbons and other components

designed to operate at specific

tolerances and deliver the yields,

print quality and reliability levels

that are the hallmarks of OKI

Printing Solutions .

TheargumentinfavourofOriginalConsumables

In testing non-OEM supplies,

no other available toner cartridge

or ribbon we are aware of has

matched all of the quality and

specification levels of our own


10/2009 �


Apart from “Peace of Mind” which

is more of an emotive issue, the

claims – outlined in the previous

section – regarding the advantages

of Original Consumables are factual .

Furthermore, they are based on

years of research and development,

significant investment and global

collaboration between OKI Printing

Solutions personnel .

On paper, it would appear that

these claims present a watertight

argument in favour of Original

Consumables .

However, the customer can easily

be influenced by some of the

advertising messages from

non-OEM compatible suppliers

who claim:

Again, on paper, these claims look

too good an offer to refuse . From

the customer’s perspective, they

tick all the right boxes – especially

where print quality and cost-savings

are concerned .

However, in reality they are often

misleading, unsubstantiated and, in

many cases, just pure fabrication .

To quote that well known maxim,

if it looks too good to be true, it

probably is .

“Cheaper than the OEM’s consumables”

“Saves you up to half the cost of your printing supplies”

“Fully guaranteed – or your money back”

“Works as well as or better than the original”

“Environmentally friendly”

“Same specification as the original product”

“Remanufactured to the original manufacturer’s standard”

“Will not affect your original manufacturer’s warranty”

“…will print the same number of pages with the same quality”

Claimsandcounter-claims

� 10/2009


In putting forward a case for always

using Original Consumables, it

is important to look behind the

upfront claims of non-genuine

suppliers and some of the other

issues that the non-genuine

packaging and promotion material

may not be so upfront about .

Savingmoney

As our Cost of Ownership model

(see next section) illustrates, there

are financial savings to be made .

But these savings are superficial

and very short term .

At OKI Printing Solutions we accept

that non-genuine supplies are

cheaper than Original Consumables

– and there’s a very good reason

for this . Quite simply, they just do

not stack up to the specified quality

and longevity that are inherent

characteristics of our own

brand consumables .

In spite of what third party suppliers

may claim, non-genuine toner

powder and inks do not operate

in the same way as our own . OKI

Printing Solutions toner and inks

are specifically developed and

formulated for OKI engines, drums,

fusers and printheads – and they

are unique to the printer hardware in

which they are being used .

In the case of toner powder, the

specific formula and particle size

is critical to the successful and

trouble-free operation of the printer

hardware . Anything other than

Original powder or ink ribbons can

give rise to one or more problems

(shown later in this document

through internal evaluations as well

as customer feedback) .

Furthermore, non-genuine

consumables invariably need

replacing before their targeted

end-of-life . This alone represents a

false economy .

Environmentally

friendly

Fact . No business

is environmentally

friendly . By virtue of the fact that

we consume means we use the

resources of the Earth . So, the

best we can be is environmentally

conscious and have a plan to

minimise negative impact .

OKI Printing Solutions has its

own environmental charter that is

implemented throughout its global

operations . We are completely

transparent and honest about our

activities .

How many remanufacturers or

refillers do you know who can

clearly demonstrate what they do

with the parts and cartridges they

collect or buy but do not use?

Up to 96% of the used consumables

materials returned to OKI Printing

Solutions are recycled for use in

other applications .

Buyerbeware:thehiddenagenda

10/2009 �


Healthandsafety

This is not just about our own

compliance with legislation; it’s

about our concerns for end-users

who may be purchasing non-

genuine supplies .

At OKI Printing Solutions we

know exactly what goes in to our

consumables and we ensure that

everything – from components to

toner particles and ink – meets or

exceeds relevant health, safety and

environmental regulations .

Furthermore, through our policy of

continuous improvement we ensure

our consumables are safe and fit for

purpose on an ongoing basis .

How many non-genuine suppliers

do not even list the ingredients,

demonstrate ongoing due diligence

or even know the true content of the

items they sell?

Warranty

OKI Printing Solutions currently

offers a free three-year warranty

on all its printer hardware . This

represents two years warranty

in addition to the standard one

year . This additional free two-

year warranty is subject to certain

conditions such as the registration

of the product with OKI Printing

Solutions and the customer’s

agreement to using only


Colourbalance

Although this is primarily a quality

issue, it is worth highlighting as a

separate topic in this section .

Our colour balance technology is

based on the powder developed

specifically for a particular OKI

Printing Solutions printing device . It

can only render colour in line with a

known formula and pigment balance

that it recognises .

Our printing devices will

automatically disable the colour

balance facility if non-genuine

powder is detected . Although

this can be adjusted manually,

the results fall short of automatic

colour balance because of the

unknown and varying composition

and concentration levels within the

generic toner powder .


10 10/2009

Self-preservation

You insert a non-genuine toner

cartridge to your OKI Printing

Solutions printer . You switch it on

and “sensor error” appears on the

panel display and the machine will

not work .

This is not uncommon with non-

genuine supplies and the cause

is simple . Our products have a

built in fail-safe device to protect

themselves from damage .

If the printer was to run without

toner the least that could happen

is that the image drums and

fuser would be damaged . Our

toner powders contain a bespoke

lubricant . Without any – or the

wrong – lubricant, the drums will try

repeatedly to attract powder to their

surfaces and the fuser will heat up

and attempt to fuse it to the paper .

Our toner cartridges and printing

devices have a simple but effective

mechanism to ensure that sufficient

toner is present to enable proper

function and safeguard the machine .

OKI Printing Solutions cannot be

held responsible for suppliers

who do not adopt or are unable to

manufacture or remanufacture to

this basic standard .

Confidence

No one else knows our products like

we do, although some claim to .

Of the many non-genuine supplies

we have tested – and the many

reports we have had from

customers – not one has matched

the quality and specification levels

of our Original Consumables .

In addition, no other non-genuine

manufacturer or supplier we are

aware of demonstrates the level of

customer support and corporate

and social responsibility that we

do . None even comes close to the

capabilities in product conception,

design, manufacturing, use and

end-of-life management provided by

OKI Printing Solutions . And in our

opinion, none can .



10/2009 11

Cost of ownership model

Our cost of ownership model

presents an example of the

financial aspects of using Original

Consumables or non-genuine

imaging supplies .

Although the model is for

illustration purposes only, the page

yields, life expectancy and failure

rates of all consumables shown

are based on our experience from

testing Original Consumables against

non-genuine product – as well as

customer feedback .

In order to create a level playing

field for this “encounter” between

the user of Original Consumables

and the non-genuine user, we have

made certain assumptions:

• Both users buy an identical new

OKI Printing Solutions printer with

a three-year warranty on the same

day and commence their printing

output of 2,500 standard pages

per month simultaneously in

similar operating environments

• The “starter kit” toner cartridges

supplied with the printer are

removed and replaced with a new

set of toners prior to printing

• The cost used for replacement

supplies is representative only

(and in some cases even favours

the non-genuine product

according to our findings)

• Toner yield is 5,000 standard

pages; drum specification is

17,000 standard pages; both the

fuser and transfer belt are specified

at 60,000 standard pages

Other considerations arising from

product testing and customer

feedback which form an important

part of the backdrop for this

illustration include:

• Our evaluation of non-genuine

product shows that 1 .5 non-

genuine toner cartridges are

required to print an equivalent

number of acceptable

standard pages as an Original

Consumable . This ratio varies

significantly between non-

genuine suppliers so in fairness

we have based it on a typical

high-end remanufacturer

product we tested on one of our

high-end printers

• When using remanufactured

drums, their life expectancy

is reduced by around 50% .

Realistically, this is a

conservative estimate, as many

remanufactured image drums

are not fitted with a new photo-

electric drum: some are even

supplied with a reset used

genuine drum!

• Through our evaluations we

have found that remanufactured

fuser and transfer belt life is

reduced by at least 25% . In some

tests, many failed on the first

page while others worked

for less than 50% of a new

Original Consumable

1� 10/2009

CustomerusingOriginaltonercartridgesfromOKIapprovedreseller


Set of toners x 12 @ £200 = £2,400

Set of image drums x 3 @ £200 = £600

Transfer Belt x 0 = £0

Fuser x 0 = £0

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Total Pages

2,500Total Pages

5,000Total Pages

7,500Total Pages

10,000Total Pages

12,500Total Pages

15,000Total Pages

17,500Total Pages

20,000Total Pages

22,500Total Pages

25,000Total Pages

27,500Total Pages

30,000

Year1


Total Pages

32,500Total Pages

35,000Total Pages

37,500Total Pages

40,000Total Pages

42,500Total Pages

45,000Total Pages

47,500Total Pages

50,000Total Pages

52,500Total Pages

55,000Total Pages

57,500Total Pages

60,000

Year�

The representative unit cost of consumables for this customer

is as follows:

Rainbowpackof�KCMYKtonercartridges = £200

SetoffourCMYKimagedrums = £200

Fuserunit = £100

Transferbelt = £80

Printing 2,500 pages per month, the cost for Y1 is

£1,400 and the cost for Y2 is £1,600 . Total cost over

the two-year period is £3,000 .

It is likely that very few support calls, if any, would

have been needed . If they were, any issues would have

been rectified quickly and free of charge (under the

three-year warranty programme) . Where necessary

a replacement unit would have been provided to

minimise downtime .

10/2009 1�

Customerusingnon-genuineconsumables



Total Pages

2,500Total Pages

5,000Total Pages

7,500Total Pages

10,000Total Pages

12,500Total Pages

15,000Total Pages

17,500Total Pages

20,000Total Pages

22,500Total Pages

25,000Total Pages

27,500Total Pages

30,000

Year1


Total Pages

32,500Total Pages

35,000Total Pages

37,500Total Pages

40,000Total Pages

42,500Total Pages

45,000Total Pages

47,500Total Pages

50,000Total Pages

52,500Total Pages

55,000Total Pages

57,500Total Pages

60,000

Year�

Set of toners x 18 @ £150 = £2,700

Set of image drums x 6 @ £175 = £1050

Transfer Belt x 1 @ £70

Fuser x 1 @ £80

The representative unit cost of consumables for this

customer is as follows:

Packof“�K”CMYKtonercartridges = £150

[25% less than Original Consumable]

SetoffourCMYKimagedrums = £175

[12 .5% less than Original Consumable]

Fuserunit = £80

[20% less than Original Consumable]

Transferbelt = £70

[12 .5% less than Original Consumable]

Printing 2,500 pages per month, the cost for Y1 is

£1,875 and the cost for Y2 is £2,025 . Total cost over

the two-year period is £3,905 .

1� 10/2009


Although making superficial

financial savings on the purchase

of imaging supplies, many

consumables would need to be

changed before their end-of-life .

The non-genuine user actually

spent 23% more than the user of

Original Consumables to print out

the equivalent number of acceptable

standard pages .

If we were to include the cost of a

site visit by an engineer and printer

refurbishment then this figure

would rise to 27% more . During

the site visit all rogue consumables

and damaged parts would need to

be replaced, the engine stripped

and cleaned and all irregular toner

particles removed to prevent further

contamination and damage to the

printing mechanisms .

The visible and additional costs for

the non-genuine user are clear to

see . There are the hidden costs too,

which are more difficult to quantify .

These would include numerous

support calls for toner sensor errors

while fitting non-genuine toner

cartridges and the considerable

downtime that would have occurred

with the printer out of action or

changing supplies .

In addition, there is the frustration,

loss of productivity, missed

deadlines, inferior print quality,

paper jams and reprints – all of

which have a negative impact on the

smooth running of any business .

Costofownershipmodel–conclusion

10/2009 1�

Quality and technical issues

Quality is at the heart of how

our customers interface with our

products and ourselves . And there

are many facets to quality .

From the quality of the printed

document to the overall quality

of the experience of living with

and working with an OKI Printing

Solutions printing device and


In this section we examine many of

the “quality” issues arising from the

use of non-genuine supplies . Where

appropriate, these are supported by

images to show the effect .

We have conducted various and

sometimes lengthy tests, comparing

the yield, performance and print

quality of non-genuine supplies

against our Original Consumables .

The test results mirror the

comments from many of our

customers who have sought support

from us, conceding that they had

opted for non-genuine supplies .

These are genuine quotes from customers:

“Toner sensor error with compatible, Original was okay”

“231 fatal error”

“Vertical banding down the page”

“White lines in the print”

“A grey background problem”

For the purposes of this document,

the tests and evaluations were

carried out on colour toner

products . However, the results

also correlate with mono/black

only products .

Overview

As you would expect, our manufacturing and assembly facilities meet or exceed all current Health, Safety and Environmental regulations. Our filling cells and hoppers are in stark contrast to the manner in which counterfeiters and many third party suppliers work – as depicted later in this document

1� 10/2009

Evaluation testing and results

VisualInspection

Pride in the product and strict

levels of quality control ensure

that all Original Consumables are

presented in pristine condition . This

was not the case with a number of

non-OEM supplies we encountered

on opening the packaging . In some

instances, toner had leaked from

the cartridge during transit . Of

greater concern was that some of

the non-OEM cartridges bore the

“OKI” brand .

PaperJamsandSensorErrors

None recorded during the testing

of our own product, but all third

party cartridges tested exhibited

paper jams to varying degrees and

multiple “toner sensor errors” .

PrintQuality

Issues typical of non-OEM toner

cartridges included:

• Failure of toner to fuse correctly

• Failure of toner content to meet

advertised print yield

• Cartridges leaking inside printer

with powder building up around

gearing

• Poor toner powder transfer due to

waxy deposits on image drum

• Scratchy lines caused by toner

particles of inconsistent size

becoming trapped

Toner weights between Original and

non-genuine were very similar, but it

took 1 .3 to 1 .7 times the amount of

non-genuine powder to produce the

same number of identical printouts .

We suspect fillers are used to bulk

the inferior powder out .

The remanufactured toner

cartridges leaked toner powder

inside the machine and drums .

This led to powder building up

around the gearing, causing them to

grind and wear, meaning they had

to be replaced .

Gears and drums destroyed

Colourtonercartridgetesting

Two examples from non-genuine product we evaluated where toner had leaked during transit

10/2009 1�

Testprintafter�,000pagesusingOKIPrintingSolutionsOriginalproduct

Vertical white streaks and horizontal white bands are almost invisible

Initialtestprintusingnon-genuineproduct

Vertical white streaks and horizontal white bands are almost invisible

Testprintafter�,000pagesusingnon-genuineproduct

Vertical white streaks and horizontal white bands have appeared

Testprintafter�,000pagesusingnon-genuineproduct

Vertical white streaks and horizontal white bands have remained and are more evident

The non-genuine powder caused

vertical white lines and on

investigation we found a white waxy

build up on the image drum roller .

This caused poor toner powder

transfer to these areas of the image

drums and so led to the vertical

white lines .

The scratchy lines are caused by

toner particles becoming trapped

between the blades in the machine

that even the flow of powder . They

get trapped because they are not a

consistent size and shape like the

genuine powder .

For the same reason drums become

scratched, fusers are damaged and

transfer belts are contaminated

before reaching their specified yield

and need to be replaced .



1� 10/2009


OKI toner particles

Compatible toner particles

We have to even the flow of powder to assure good quality, but generic

powders are just not manufactured to the same high standard/specification

designed for our engines

The size and formulation of toner

particles is critical to the quality of

the printout and the very health of

the printing device . Toner particles

of the wrong size from non-genuine

supplies will become trapped and

cause vertical white lines on your

printout as well as scratch the

surface of the image drum .


Example of printout when irregular toner particles are used in a non-genuine toner powder. This leaves large toner deposits on the drum which results in erratic trace on the printouts

In this print sample using non-genuine toner, the lines and streaking have been caused by poor rendering of the toner

10/2009 1�


Ribbontesting

While compatibles pose a serious

threat to our Original toner supplies

business, it is counterfeit product

that is of major concern to our

Original ribbons sales . Whereas

compatibles are legal and ethical,

counterfeit is illegal and immoral .

With its strategic partners, OKI

Printing Solutions is taking an

active role in combating counterfeit

operations through surveillance,

raids on premises and prosecution .

The stated life of all ribbons tested

was three million characters .

Only the genuine OKI Printing

Solutions ribbons performed to

full specification . Ribbons from

one counterfeiter failed at 15,000

characters (0 .5% of its life) while a

second set of counterfeit ribbons

failed at 60,000 characters (2 .0% of

its life) .

Compatible ribbons fared better

in our testing with failure rates of

between 40,000 and two million

characters .

Historically, counterfeit imaging

supplies have been mainly ribbons

and some mono toners, but activity

is now filtering through to colour

toner and is likely to have an impact

on all types of consumables .

These pictures are from a real raid on a counterfeiting operation. They are not in any way mocked up to look like this

Take a look at the images below .

Would you work here, would you

want anyone to work here and

what kind of health and safety,

environmental, human comforts and

quality (of product and life) can you

expect from such operations?

�0 10/2009


TestresultscomparingOKIPrintingSolutionsribbonstocompatibleandcounterfeitribbons

Original Consumables outperformed

all non-genuine product in terms

of print density and colour (black

print as opposed to the compatible

blue/black) .

The number of characters printed

within specification is greater with

the genuine ribbons; next best

were the compatibles and worst, as

expected, were the counterfeits .

Counterfeiters are clever and

devious . Their packaging looks very

convincing and it is not always easy

to tell it from our own, so always

check the hologram and if you are

offered what appears to be genuine

ribbons at a knock down price, they

are likely not to be genuine .

Two suppliers of compatible and

two sets of counterfeit ribbons

were evaluated against our Original

product . OKI Printing Solutions

specially formulated ink is not only

ink, it is also a lubricant for the pins

in the printhead to make sure that

both remain lubricated and last

longer than specified ensuring

you do not need to replace the

printhead early .

Excessive wear was noted on

the ribbon gears of the “new”

counterfeit ribbons and the particles

were seen to have made their way,

via the ribbon, to the printhead

where they will ultimately jam and/

or break pins . OKI Printing Solutions

ribbons are seamless to make sure

no printhead pins can be trapped in

a seam and broken, which has been

reported and seen before, although

this did not happen during this

particular evaluation .

OKI Printing Solutions ink is safe

to handle when used as intended,

but we cannot comment on third

party product as we did not carry

out a chemical analysis on the

non-genuine and we made sure

those evaluating these ribbons

were protected when handling the

unknown inks/substances .

10/2009 �1

HowOKIPrintingSolutionsribbonsperformedagainstcounterfeitproduct


OKI at 1.5 million characters

Counterfeit at 1.5 million characters

Counterfeit at 0.5 million characters

This is what was printed at 1.5 million characters, but as this was illegible, we have shown the the counterfeit at 0.5 million characters

OKI Ribbon 1

0.00

Lower Limit

Middle

Upper Limit

Lower Limit

Middle

Upper Limit

Start 1000 5000 25000 500000 1000000

Number of Characters

1500000 2000000 2500000 3000000

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

Prin

t Con

tras

t Sig

nal

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

OKI Ribbon 2 Counterfeit Ribbon 1 Counterfeit Ribbon 2

OKI Ribbon 1 OKI Ribbon 2 Compatible Ribbon 1 Compatible Ribbon 2

0.00Start 1000 5000 25000 500000 1000000


1500000 2000000 2500000 3000000

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

Prin

t Con

tras

t Sig

nal

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

OKIOriginalribbonsvs.Counterfeitribbons

The performance of the Original

ribbons against the counterfeit

product in our tests shows that clearly

there is no contest between them .

�� 10/2009


Printdensityofa�,000,000characterribbon

Density was measured at the

various stages through the life

of the ribbons . All ribbons print

density at the start of the test was

between 0 .67 and 0 .75 – good and

clear print . However, it was noted

that only the genuine OKI Printing

Solutions print was black, the

others had a blue hue (common

for cheap inks as quality pigments

are expensive) .

At 25,000 characters (0 .833% of the

ribbons life) a marked deterioration

in density was noted with the

counterfeit ribbons . In fact, by

1,000,000 characters (33% of its

life) one of the sets of counterfeit

ribbons density fell away to 0 .0,

that is, nothing printed on the paper .

The other set of counterfeit ribbons

density at this stage measured

between 0 .22 and 0 .18 compared

to the three sets of compatibles

that fell between 0 .47 and 0 .21 and

the genuine OKI Printing Solutions

offering measured between 0 .56

and 0 .54 .

By the time all ribbons reached

end-of-life at 3,000,000 characters

the density of the counterfeit (the

set still printing) was between 0 .18

and 0 .06 . The compatibles range

was between 0 .3 and 0 .14 while

OKI Printing Solutions density was

between 0 .31 and 0 .33 . Clearly in

terms of density alone the genuine

ribbons are better and much more

consistent as can be seen from the

spread between densities .

For reference, the acceptable print

density range is from 0 .69 at the

start of life and 0 .3 at the end

of life . In fact, the OKI Printing

Solutions ribbons went on to

print within specification beyond

stated life .

10/2009 ��

HowOKIPrintingSolutionsperformedagainstthecompatibles

OKI at 1.5 million characters

Compatible at 1.5 million characters

OKI at 3 million characters

Compatible at 3 million characters

Notice the blue/black and not black print with BLACK ribbons


OKI Ribbon 1

0.00

Lower Limit

Middle

Upper Limit

Lower Limit

Middle

Upper Limit

Start 1000 5000 25000 500000 1000000


1500000 2000000 2500000 3000000

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

Prin

t Con

tras

t Sig

nal

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

OKI Ribbon 2 Counterfeit Ribbon 1 Counterfeit Ribbon 2

OKI Ribbon 1 OKI Ribbon 2 Compatible Ribbon 1 Compatible Ribbon 2

0.00Start 1000 5000 25000 500000 1000000


1500000 2000000 2500000 3000000

0.10

0.20

0.30

0.40

Prin

t Con

tras

t Sig

nal

0.50

0.60

0.70

0.80

OKIOriginalribbonsvs.Wellknowncompatiblesbrand

�� 10/2009


The stated life of all ribbons tested

was 3,000,000 (three million)

characters .

Only the genuine ribbons performed

to full specification . Ribbons from

one counterfeiter failed at around

15,000 characters, 0 .5% of its

life . The second set of counterfeit

ribbons failed at around 60,000

characters, that is 2% of its

supposed life .

The compatible ribbons fared

better, but still did not meet OKI

Printing Solutions specification .

The first set of compatibles failed

at around 40,000 characters, which

equates to 1 .33% of its supposed

life . This was especially poor for a

compatible ribbon . The second and

third set of compatibles failed at

around 2,000,000 characters, which

is 66 .67% of its supposed life .

Ribbonlife

The ink tank on this non-genuine product had not been welded so leaks were inevitable. The cheaper ink congeals and clogs up the mechanism as well

The use of inferior materials for the gearing mechanism in some non-genuine product means unnecessary wear and tear. Particles from the mechanism can travel along the sticky ribbon to the printhead, damaging pins and causing irreparable damage to the printhead

If you happened to have the worst

performing ribbon you would

need to buy around 75 of them to

equal that of one from OKI Printing

Solutions . Of course, if you had the

best performing compatible ribbon

then you need to buy one and half

to equal OKI Printing Solutions,

but don’t forget about the ink not

being black or about the lack of

OKI Printing Solutions lubricants

and whether or not it is a seamless

ribbon made of the same high

quality material to safeguard your

printhead and warranty .

10/2009 ��

Although we have a watertight

case against counterfeit products –

because they are illegal – the battle

to win over the hearts and minds of

the customer who is considering or

already using compatibles is not

so easy .

Except where there is some form

of copyright infringement,

compatible supplies are perfectly

legal . And it should be stated

that some compatibles are better

than others – though none are as

good as or even come close to the

Original product .

It is this level of inconsistency

in non-OEM compatible supplies

that poses the biggest threat to

our customers . Put simply, buying

compatibles can be a bit of

a gamble .

What may seem like a fantastic

cost saving on the day of purchase

may lead to weeks or months of

interrupted print runs, inferior print

quality and potentially irreparable

damage to the printer hardware . In

short, a false economy .

Suffice to say, you get what you pay

for which is often less than

you expected .

WhyuseOriginalConsumables?

• Total peace of mind

• Professional support

• True economy

• No compromise on quality

• Fast and consistent output

• Minimal downtime

• Assured reliability and longevity

• Three year warranty

Through a focused and carefully

targeted promotional campaign

beginning in 2009, OKI Printing

Solutions is now working even

harder to inform, educate and

advise its channel partners

and end-users about the

advantages of always using


We trust that this document has

helped to explain why Original

Consumables stand head and

shoulders above non-genuine

supplies and that these messages

can be used to good effect with

your customers .

Summary

Only use genuine Oki Printing Solutions Original Consumables to ensure the best quality and performance from your hardware . Non Oki Printing Solutions Original products may damage your printer's performance and invalidate your warranty . Specifications subject to change without notice . All trademarks acknowledged .

© 2009 Oki Europe Ltd . Oki Printing Solutions is the trading name of Oki Europe Ltd . Version 1 10/2009 .

Oki Europe Ltd.

Blays House, Wick Road

Egham TW20 0HJ

United Kingdom

T +44(0) 20 8219 2190

F +44(0) 20 8219 2199

www.okiprintingsolutions.com

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