Drum/Toner: As we will mention throughout all of these updated tech-tips, for the first time in our nine-year history, we are now using our own private sources of supplies in the remanufacturing of toner cartridges. The reasons for this principally revolve around quality and consistency. We have now switched over to Laser Group OkiData 400/800 toner and drum for the best combination of print density and cartridge life. While we have tested combinations which produced either darker prints or longer cartridge life, we have not found a combination of toner and drum which produces a better combination of density and cartridge life.

Drum Coatings: Now for the most exciting news we have ever reported on a toner cartridge in our nine years of experience: We have been successfully using a drum coating in-house which has significantly improved the life of the OPC drum, while not affecting the print-quality or cartridge life. This coating is easily applied using nothing more exotic than cotton balls prior to each use and can preserve the OEM drum to the extent that it can be used for one or two uses (we have actually seen the OEM go three or four uses in house, but would not recommend pushing it that far in your customer's cartridges).

While we have not finished testing on the Laser Group Drum Treatment (LGDT), it has shown us that when used from day one on a long-life replacement drum, it can also significantly prolong its life, as well. The exact number of uses the LGDT treated long-life drum will go before wearing out increase by at least 50 - 100%. (Again, in the lab we have seen amazing increases in the longevity of long-life drums when using the LGDT.)

The only caveat we have at this point with regard to the Laser Group Drum Treatment is: DO NOT BE CHEAP! If you find you get one or two solid additional uses out of the OEM OPC or two to three additional uses out of a new, long-life OPC, be grateful. But, do not go overboard in your efforts to reduce the cost of the replacement drums. The only time you want your customer to come back is when the cartridge is empty and when they have a smile on their face from a good experience (NEVER SOONER). If your personal experience shows that a long-life drum can be used another two or three times, lean toward the more conservative second additional use rather than going for three additional uses. Keep in mind that even a single additional use of either the OEM or a long-life drum will significantly improve your profit margins.

Wiper Blade: We still recommend when replacing the OPC drum, no matter what long-life drum you install, replace the wiper blade at the same time (it is a cheap form of insurance).

Long-life OPC Drum Replacements: With the advent of Laser Group Drum Treatment, we are now seriously considering reusing the OEM drum for at least one once prior to replacing the drum with a long-life replacement. In-house we have found we can reuse the original drum at least one use. This significantly reduces the cost of the OPC drum unit remanufacture, but should not be pushed beyond the first reuse.

The remanufacturing of the OPC drum kit is a great money maker (complete remanufacturing details are shown on our new tape #9). If you buy the drums without the gears installed (ours include the gears already installed), be absolutely certain you clean the inside of the drum thoroughly with either sandpaper or steel wool (to make certain you have a perfectly clean metal surface through which drum and gear electrical contact will be made) before you install the gear with the metal contacts or else you will run a significant risk of a black 1" - 2" inch black line appearing at the top of the page or even repeating three times down the page in severe cases. Use a volt-ohm meter to check the resistance between the drum contacts and the metal drum surface (the lower the resistance is, the better. It should approach zero). Make a "dry-run" (without using the Super Glue) installing the gears before you install them permanently.

The bad news is, not only do you end up with a black line on the page if you haven't thoroughly cleaned the inside of the drum where the electrical contact is to be made, but, upon finding you have this problem, there is little chance of getting the gears off to remedy the problem without damaging the brand-new long-life replacement drum.

Drum Padding Powder: One of the interesting adjuncts to using the Laser Group Drum Treatment is the fact that the drum becomes so smooth, you no longer need to use drum padding powder. This fact, in and of itself, told us that we were truly on to something, since in the eight years we have been producing cartridges we have never been able to get away from the fact the the silicone wiper blade seems to invariably stick to the OPC drum if no padding powder is used. Using the LGDT, the drum becomes so smooth and friction-free, the wiper blade no longer binds against the outer surface of the OPC. Because the OPC is so smooth, it takes the cartridge from 1 - 5 test prints before the wiper blade seats firmly against the OPC. Bottom line? If you are using the Laser Group Drum Treatment (and we wholeheartedly recommend you do), skip the padding powder. (Buying the drum with gears already installed is the best way to avoid this problem.)

- End -

PLEASE NOTE: We are always ready, willing and able to provide technical support to any of our trainees on any of the cartridges we have taught them to remanufacture. In order to make your interaction with tech support as productive and beneficial as possible, we make two assumptions: We assume that you have followed our procedures to the letter and used the supplies we recommended during the remanufacturing process. If a cartridge is remanufactured in a manner other than what we prescribe or with supplies other than the ones we recommend, the extent of our technical support can only be "generic" in nature, since we will have no firsthand experience with either the methods or supplies in question. In addition, we assume that you have already done your "swaps" (as outlined in the troubleshooting section for each cartridge) and that you will be able to answer questions based on the results of those swaps before you call and ask for help. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

back to Tech - Support main page

© 1999 - The Laser Group - All rights reserved. Last update 05/08/02 08:44 AM EST.