The quality and consistency of third-party inks has undoubtedly improved in recent years. Used in place of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) inks, these chemistries can achieve impressive results for many wide format applications at a lower up-front price.
However, any print business considering making the switch should be aware that the use of an alternative inkset could void their equipment warranty. Staying true to OEM inks can also bring more long-term benefits that outweigh a slightly higher monthly cost.
Roland DG's experts have developed our inks, software and printers so they all work in harmony. Each element is rigorously tested during the manufacturing process to result in a seamless print room workflow without the printer operator having to give it a second thought.
This applies to media too; both our own-brand materials and those of leading manufacturers, with whom we've worked to ensure compatibility and profiling. If you change one aspect of this synergy you run the risk of the unknown – how will your printer respond?
Our RolandCare warranty is designed for our assessed workflow combinations, so if something goes wrong you won't be covered if you use something outside of these verified processes.
Encarna Luque, Business Development Textile and Inks at Roland EMEA, says: "Alternative inks produced for universal use can slowly depreciate machine performance. It may be necessary to clean the print heads more regularly, which decreases their lifespan. As well as resulting in increased downtime, replacing print heads is expensive. In short, using original ink is the best way to get the most from your investment."
Ensuring you are covered by a warranty brings benefits to your customers too. A number of TrueVIS printer/cutters and inks comply with various leading media manufacturer's certification programs, including 3M™ and Avery Dennison™. This means that if you print on their media using TrueVIS and OEM ink you – and your customers – should expect outstanding results for a certain amount of time indoors or out.
But even if your work isn't printed on these selected media, you will still be protected by the warranty that comes with all our OEM inks (just be sure to check the terms and conditions), giving long-term reassurance.
Alongside strict official evaluations, we use the feedback and knowledge we receive from the print community to make improvements and recommendations. There are certain applications that require a tried and tested formula of printer, ink and material – and using something different can cause failures.
For example, when producing vehicle wraps with cast vinyl, prints can fail if there is too much solvent aggression on the adhesive. Similarly, for sensitive materials like static cling, we've seen prints fail because the chemical composition of the ink can destroy the material sooner than you'd expect.
Roland inks have been developed to deliver peak performance for every application – we've worked hard to get the composition just right – so there's no need to carry out your own experiments or encounter unpleasant surprises. Plus, when we release a new product or update we'll make sure you know, so you don't need to spend time on research.
Whether it's a new ink formula, a software upgrade or a new accessory, when you buy Roland you receive support throughout the life of ownership.
We love it when our customers create amazing work and make their businesses flourish, so we endeavour to help as much as we can by designing equipment and consumables that never let you down. We've spent four decades making sure our products are the best, to give you ultimate peace of mind.
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