An ink change can fail even when the replacement ink is suitable. Many avoidable problems come from treating the changeover as a purchase rather than a qualification.
The sequence below uses documentation that ink and printhead manufacturers already publish, then adds the costs and acceptance criteria a price comparison omits. Before committing volume, use it to define what needs to be tested and what would stop the changeover.
Start with the data sheet, and read what it does and does not say
A technical data sheet identifies the applications and equipment the supplier specifies. Nazdar’s 510 Series names Xaar 128 and Spectra 128 and 256 heads and specific grand-format machines; its 202 Series covers cartridges compatible with named Roland platforms using Eco Max 2 inks.[1][2]
A TDS does not usually disclose every validation condition—such as which heads were tested, for how long, under which waveform, and against which failure criteria. Treat it as supplier-specified scope, not a test report.
The fluid window is narrow and head-specific. Ricoh publishes a viscosity range of 10–12 mPa·s and surface tension of 28–35 mN/m for its MH5420/5440 heads, with jetting results obtained using Ricoh test ink.[3] An older industry survey records a much wider market range, from roughly 3–6 cP for some Epson heads to around 50 cP for the Xaar 1001.[4]
Ink and head are also matched through the firing waveform. Xaar states that printhead manufacturers fine-tune firing for each approved fluid.[5] Access is platform-dependent: development systems may expose waveform settings, while many closed wide-format platforms do not. Establish which case applies before assuming an ink can be tuned to fit.
Xaar’s five-step evaluation process illustrates a formal development workflow: rheology and materials compatibility, jetting and waveform optimisation, sample production, application development, and continued support, with a small-volume screen at the start.[5][6]
Read the disclaimer. Nazdar states that it cannot guarantee finished results and places life-cycle testing responsibility on the buyer.[1] That is a common commercial position, but it establishes who carries the risk.
Establish whether it is a drop-in or a flush
A drop-in exchange and a flush are different projects.
For a change from Roland Eco Max 2 original cartridges to Nazdar 202 Series cartridges, Nazdar instructs operators to replace an empty OEM cartridge and continue printing, with no ink fill required. It separately tells users converting from non-OEM inks or bulk-feed systems to consult Nazdar.[1] The 510 Series requires the ink system and jet assemblies to be cleaned with a named flushing solution, with mesh filters checked and replaced where necessary.[2]
Confirm the procedure in writing before ordering. A flush requires booked downtime, flushing fluid, fresh filters or dampers where specified, and an agreed response if a head does not recover. Residual incompatible ink can be one source of post-changeover problems.
Revalidate colour rather than assuming it
Existing profiles should be revalidated after an ink change and rebuilt where the required colour tolerances are not met. Nazdar says its 202 Series is colour matched to Roland Eco Max 2 inks, avoiding custom profiles in most situations.[1] Verify that statement against the media, modes, and colour tolerances your customers require.
Print and retain a physical reference set before flushing. Afterwards, reproducing the outgoing condition may be difficult or impossible without reinstalling the previous ink and profile.
Cost the switch, not the litre
Price per litre is only one line. Canon argues that ink consumption per square metre at the quality sold is the more useful comparison.[7] Printing Impressions identifies wider total-cost errors such as unrealistic duty cycles and omitted installation, training, and warranty scope.[8]
For an ink switch, add downtime, flushing fluid, filters and dampers, colour revalidation, wasted media, and a platform-specific contingency for printhead recovery where flushing is required.
Storage also matters. Nazdar specifies 5–25 °C and 15 months from manufacture for the cited products; shelf life, pot life, and working life describe different limits.[1][2][9]
Separate initial screening from production qualification
There is no universal protocol, so define two stages and written stop criteria before the first cartridge is changed.
Initial screening can use one machine and representative high-volume substrates. Include normal start-up, sustained production, and idle/restart behaviour; record nozzle checks and colour results. A full shift may reveal immediate problems, but it is a screen, not proof of long-term suitability.
Production qualification should then run for an agreed multi-day period or print volume. Include application-specific adhesion, abrasion, lamination, chemical, or outdoor-durability checks where relevant, plus normal idle cycles and documented acceptance criteria. A one-shift screen does not establish long-term printhead reliability, batch consistency, shelf life, durability, or warranty consequences. Suitability remains specific to the printer, firmware, printhead, ink system, curing arrangement, substrate, and maintenance history.
Yescolor supplies compatible ink cartridges, wide-format inks, and ink pouches. Compatibility depends on the exact printer model, printhead, ink system, and part number.
Sources and further reading
- Nazdar, 202 Series Solvent Inkjet Ink, Technical Data Sheet.
- Nazdar, 510 Series Solvent Inkjet Ink, Technical Data Sheet.
- Ricoh, RICOH MH5420/MH5440 industrial inkjet printhead specifications.
- Vincent Cahill, VCE Solutions, “Inkjet Printhead Characteristics and Application Requirements”.
- Xaar, “Your guide to a successful inkjet development project”, Issue 1, April 2022.
- Xaar, “Xaar’s 5-step service enables effective inkjet fluid evaluation”, 13 January 2020.
- Canon UK, “Maximising ROI: evaluating lifetime costs of wide format roll-to-roll printers”, 6 November 2024.
- Patrick Henry, Printing Impressions, “An Anatomy of Determining Total Cost of Ownership for Production Inkjet Presses”, 23 April 2019.
- Boston Industrial Solutions, “Printing ink pot life vs. shelf life vs. working life”, 6 January 2024.
