Cleaning cartridges: tools and equipment, procedure, little tricks

There are hundreds of products on the market designed to clean and restore cartridges. They all promise to increase their productivity, restore appearance and even increase the durability life. However, over the years, the staff of the research laboratories of Static Control Components have become convinced that the most effective were and remain the old, proven cleaning methods: dry, ionized, filtered compressed air, service vacuum cleaner, lint-free wipes, cotton swabs, isopropyl alcohol and Kynar talc.

Cleaning practice also shows that the less you impact the properties of the components, the better. The cartridge is a complex system of interconnected elements, and it is very important to preserve, as far as possible, its original balance and characteristics that influence the formation of the image. Damage to even one component when handling or using harsh cleaning products can negatively affect the operation of the entire system. Therefore, the main goal of effective cartridge cleaning is to prevent such damage and keep the system balanced.

For all cartridges, cleaning with dry, ionized, filtered compressed air is recommended, since this method does not affect the components either chemically or structurally (if carried out correctly). Cleaning agents can cause chemical build-up or leave streaks that can harm both individual parts of the cartridge and the entire system. An example of this is the use of liquids to clean squeegees. Some chemicals form a film on the blade, which is then transferred to both the image drum and the primary charge shaft.

Be careful when using various cleaners, restorers and coatings. For example, the use of alcohol-based fluids has a negative effect on the image drum, squeegee, leveling blade, magnetic roller and certain types of primary charge rollers. The surface properties of components are very important for the image reproduction process, and changes in even one property will affect the operation of the entire system as a whole.

Dry, ionized, filtered compressed air

Compressed air is the most effective method cleaning cartridge components. It requires little time because with the air wand you can cover a large area at once and direct the air flow into small holes and narrow crevices, which is impossible to achieve with a vacuum cleaner. Fragile materials (foam rubber, felt) can be easily and thoroughly cleaned without any damage to their structure.

However, compressed air alone is not enough. Oil and water can get into the cartridge components and significantly increase the likelihood of printing problems. Static electricity causes dust and toner to settle on the surface of the cartridge, where it simply moves from one place to another and is difficult to remove. The use of dry, ionized, filtered compressed air and a dust control system can significantly improve cleaning efficiency. When working with compressed air, it is necessary to use suitable nozzles to ensure safe work.

Isopropyl alcohol

Using alcohol in the cleaning process is both good and bad. Alcohol is not harmful to the electrical contacts or primary charge roller sockets, but it is harmful to the magnetic roller, image drum, some types of primary charge rollers, and the polyurethane and silicone on the squeegee and leveling blade. Never use it to clean or treat these components.

You should also avoid getting alcohol on foam rubber or felt - this can damage the adhesive backing, the material will not adhere well to the cartridge, which will lead to toner leaks and printing defects.

For best results, use only 91 - 99% isopropyl alcohol. Alcohol with a higher water content will take longer to evaporate or the surface will remain wet. Whenever you use alcohol during cleaning, make sure that the surfaces of the components and the cartridge are completely dry before adding toner and reassembling the cartridge. 99% isopropyl alcohol is supplied by virtually all chemical distributors, and 91% isopropyl alcohol is readily available at most pharmacies.

Printing defects

Black-on-black printing defects are large black dots and wide black horizontal lines, repeated at intervals of the drum circumference on prints with a black die (fill). These dots and lines represent a buildup of excess toner in the development areas. This defect is the result of cleaning the cartridge with compressed air supplied at high speed. The immediate cause of a black-on-black defect is the appearance of an area of ​​high positive charge on the surface of the image drum. Typically, the image drum receives this charge from a magnetic roller, leveling blade, squeegee, or primary charge roller. High positive charge on these components is created when highly charged toner particles are removed from the non-conductive surfaces of the components (and the image drum itself) by a high-force air stream. Additional charge is also caused by friction of the air flow on the surface of the components. Once the cartridge is assembled, components with a high positive charge come into contact with the image drum, and the positive charge flows to its surface, being retained in the conductive top layer. The photodrum used in laser printers is not capable of uniformly distributing the charge accumulated in a particular location. Therefore, a localized charge, remaining in the conductive layer of the photodrum, can damage it.

To prevent black-on-black defects, components must be grounded before they are installed in the cartridge. However, grounding is not a permanent solution to this problem and does not remove particles from the surface of non-conductive materials.

Using optimal air pressure and an ionizer significantly reduces excess charge on cartridge components. The ionizer creates a constant flow of negatively and positively charged ions, this flow neutralizes excess static charge on the surface of the components being cleaned.

Service vacuum cleaner

A service vacuum cleaner is an alternative to dry, ionized compressed air. When using a vacuum cleaner, use a brush to clean the surface of the cartridge and a crevice tool to clean narrow openings. Avoid contact with the surfaces of the image drum, magnetic roller, or primary charge roller.

Vacuuming can damage cartridge components such as gaskets or drum cleaning blades, dislodge felt or foam parts, and even break some electrical parts.

When cleaning the toner box through the toner fill hole, if you press the accessory just a little harder, you may bend the toner level sensor and edger. The result will be a repeated, untimely warning signal indicating insufficient toner in the hopper.

Lint-free wipes and cotton swabs

To prevent chemicals, oils, or lint from getting on the inside of the cartridge, use lint-free wipes and cotton swabs, which are easy to clean because they are made of a soft, non-abrasive material. They also make excellent applicators for alcohol or conductive lubricant.

Toner wipes are contaminated with mineral oil, which contaminates components, and should not be used to clean internal components. They are needed to wipe the outside of an already assembled cartridge.

Talc Kynar

Kynar is a fluorinated polymer commonly used to lubricate the squeegee during cartridge assembly. Sprinkling the squeegee and drum with Kynar talcum powder before installing it into the cartridge will reduce friction between the drum and the blade during the first revolutions of the drum. Do not allow Kynar to build up on the primary charge shaft as this will cause print defects. Even a small particle of Kynar can interfere with charge transfer to the image drum and cause a recurring black dot defect.

Primary charge shaft

A new, original or remanufactured primary charge shaft should be cleaned with a lint-free cloth dampened with water. It is better not to use alcohol, as it can damage the surface coating of the shaft. The determining factor in the quality of operation of the primary charge shaft is its design. Cleaners, waxes and restorers can make the shaft shine and look great, but they do not improve its performance in any way and, on the contrary, can damage both the shaft itself and other components of the cartridge.

Image drum

The drum should only be cleaned with dry, ionized, filtered compressed air, being careful not to touch its surface coating with your fingers. Before installing the drum unit into the cartridge, store it in a place protected from light and other external influences. Cleaning fluids or treatments for the drum coating not only have an adverse effect on the drum itself, but can damage the squeegee, primary charge roller and magnetic roller and should not be used.

Squeegee and leveling knife

The thickness of the working edge of the squeegee is less than 0.025 mm, and any abrasive effect on it (for example, wiping with a cloth) can dull the blade and cause defects depending on the operation of the squeegee.

It is best not to treat the squeegee with any cleaning agents, polishes, or coatings at all: they will not increase its service life, but can cause numerous problems, such as the formation of a film on the photodrum and the primary charge shaft, or poor cleaning of the drum. The use of creams, coatings or any other means of treating the squeegee leads to the appearance of deposits on the surface of the blade that cannot be removed with compressed air.

Alcohol belongs to the same category of cleaning products as creams, polishes and coatings. Tests have shown that polyurethane knives absorb alcohol and soften, and therefore their working surface deteriorates when rubbed. Alcohol absorbed into polyurethane has a negative effect on the photodrum. It is not recommended to use alcohol to clean the squeegee or leveling knife, and clean them only with dry, ionized, filtered compressed air.

Kynar talc can be used to lubricate the squeegee. Dip the squeegee surface into lubricant (if using Kynar talc). Install the drum and squeegee into the cartridge, rotate the drum several times in the direction of its normal operating motion, or rotate it until the talc falls into the waste hopper.

Using Conductive Grease

Conductive lubricant is used in most cartridges to improve conductivity and reduce friction where electrical contacts touch.

The general rule here is to only apply conductive lubricant to the areas where it was applied in the original cartridges, as their manufacturers always take this issue very seriously. However, since all cartridge systems are different, lubrication patterns also differ from each other. Carefully read the instructions for remanufacturing this particular cartridge before you begin.

Each time you restore a cartridge, wipe off the old lubricant with a swab or napkin and only then apply fresh one. When replacing worn cartridge components, lubricate the new parts in the places where the old ones were lubricated.

"Moderation" is a word to always remember when applying conductive lubricant. We recommend a layer thickness of paper sheet. To do this, use the wooden end of a cotton swab. If the lubricant is applied correctly, it will work effectively throughout the entire cycle.

Although lubricant improves conductivity, it does not increase it. Applying additional grease in hopes of increasing the charge on the magnetic roller or image drum will not darken the print. On the contrary, its excess amount may spread throughout the cartridge, which will adversely affect the operation of other components.

Magnetic shaft

The magnetic shaft should be cleaned with dry, ionized, filtered compressed air. When doing this, hold the shaft by the axles or use rubber gloves. If you touch the magnetic roller with your fingers, greasy marks will remain on its surface, which may cause print defects (for example, background or dirty spots on the printout that repeat at intervals around the circumference of the magnetic roller). It is not recommended to use chemical coating cleaners as they may cause poor print quality. Various types of reducing agent often result in thicker characters, reduced productivity, light-colored printing problems, background issues, and can also increase the tendency for toner additives to form a film on the surface of the magnetic roller.

Electrical contacts

Whenever you remanufacture a cartridge, make sure that all electrical contacts are free of toner and other contaminants, as they may adversely affect the operation of all components of the cartridge. Wipe the contacts of the magnetic shaft and the primary charge shaft, the socket of the primary charge shaft with a cotton swab (or lint-free cloth) moistened with a 91-99% solution of isopropyl alcohol. Then apply a thin layer of conductive lubricant to the contacts.

When refilling and restoring cartridges laser printers The most important stage of the work is cleaning the cartridges from old toner and other various contaminants. The print quality of a refilled/remanufactured cartridge largely depends on how carefully and in compliance with technology the cleaning procedure was carried out. As in any business, a lot depends on the tools, auxiliary equipment and materials used in the work. So let's discuss what needs to be done and what needs to be used to clean cartridges.

Cleaning Basics

Today, the market offers hundreds of a wide variety of cleaning products, the manufacturers of which, without skimping on big words, promise to increase productivity, restore and increase the service life of the components for which all these products are intended for cleaning. However, studies conducted by laboratories have shown that, nevertheless, the best results are provided by the use of a product such as dry ionized filtered compressed air, which can be considered the main (basic) cleaning device.

In addition, research, as well as thousands of practical experiments, have confirmed the opinion that the less you influence the components of the cartridges, the better, since their “native” properties in this case are not subject to various kinds of changes. A cartridge is a complex system of interconnected components, so it is important to maintain the original balance of the entire system and the properties of its individual components for as long as possible. Unsuccessful exposure or rough cleaning can have the opposite effect and negatively affect the entire system. The key to effective cleaning is preventing breakdowns and maintaining the balance of the entire system.

If you carry out regular procedures for cleaning the cartridge, and do it according to a well-established scheme (i.e. using proven technology), there is no need for extreme measures. Cleaning with dry ionized filtered compressed air is recommended for all types of cartridges, because... does not have a chemical or structural effect, if, of course, cleaning is carried out correctly. Cleaning agents may accumulate or leave a residue that is harmful to the cartridge as a whole and to its individual components. An example is the use of solvents to clean squeegees. Certain chemicals can leave a film on the squeegee, which can subsequently transfer to both the drum and the PCR (Primary Charge Roller, often called a charge corotron).

It is prohibited to use various cleaning, impregnating and coating agents in your work. Alcohol-based cleaners, for example, are harmful to the surface of the image drum, magnetic roller, cleaning and dispensing blades, and the surface of some types of PCR (including OEM PCR). Individual components of the cartridge, having a direct connection with the overall image formation process, can affect the quality of the print as a whole. And therefore, a change in the properties of the surfaces of individual components due to chemical or mechanical impact, as a rule, significantly degrades the quality of subsequent printing.

Dry ionized compressed air

Compressed air is the most effective and efficient method for cleaning all cartridge components, because... requires a minimum of time due to the fact that you cover a larger area with the cleaning attachment than when cleaning with a vacuum cleaner (vacuum cleaning). In addition, it is possible to direct air into narrow openings, which is impossible with vacuum cleaning. Fragile parts and materials such as foam and felt are difficult to clean without causing damage.

However, the mere presence of compressed air is not a sufficient condition for high-quality cleaning. Oil and water contained in air currents can be transferred to other parts of the cartridge and can significantly increase the likelihood of printing problems. Static electricity can cause dust and toner to stick to the surface of the cartridge, from where they, being transferred from one part to another, will contaminate the entire cartridge, and removing this toner and dust will be extremely problematic. By using dry ionized compressed air, coupled with a suitable dust control system, cleaning efficiency can be significantly improved. But it is necessary to use appropriate nozzles and protective equipment, because according to recommendations OSHA - Health and Safety Administration (Standard 29, CFR 1910.242, paragraphs A And b) When using compressed air, it is necessary to use personal protective equipment, in particular, nozzles that regulate the air pressure to a level of up to 2 bar (maximum).

Isopropyl alcohol

When cleaning cartridges, alcohol can be both useful and harmful. Alcohol can be considered harmless for electrical contacts and PCR saddle contacts. But the following can be damaged by alcohol: magnetic roller, photoconductor drum, PCR roller, polyurethane and silicone, from which the dosing squeegee and cleaning squeegee are made. Under no circumstances should alcohol be used to clean the listed components. It is necessary to avoid contact with alcohol on all kinds of interlayer gaskets and seals, as well as on felt seals: alcohol can destroy the adhesive layer and the material will “pull away” from the cartridge, thereby causing printing defects and toner spillage. For best results, only 91-99% isopropyl alcohol should be used. Alcohol with a high water content, i.e. an alcohol solution with a low alcohol concentration takes much longer to spray and leaves the surface wet for a long time. Each time after using alcohol, you must make sure that the surface of the cartridge parts is dry, and this must be done before adding toner and assembling the cartridge. 99% alcohol is purchased from chemical distributors.

Vacuum cleaner

The vacuum cleaner is an alternative to dry ionized compressed air. When cleaning the cartridge with a vacuum cleaner, you must use brush attachments and special attachments for cleaning narrow crevices. During cleaning, avoid touching the surface of the drum, magnetic roller and PCR with the attachments. But the vacuum cleaner has one significant drawback - when using it, it is easy to damage the fragile and sensitive components of the cartridge - various seals and gaskets, the return squeegee film, pieces of felt seals can be torn off and pushed out. In addition, when using a vacuum cleaner, the electrical contacts of the cartridge can also be damaged.

If you apply too much pressure to the vacuum cleaner attachment while cleaning the toner bin through the hopper, you can easily bend the toner sensor bar or the axle of the toner mixing blades. If the toner sensor arm (antenna) is bent away from the magnetic roller, this will cause the Low Toner message to appear prematurely.

Lint-free cloths and brushes

Soft, lint-free wipes and lint-free cotton brushes are excellent for cleaning cartridge components. So-called “Toner Wipes” are saturated with mineral oil, which can contaminate the cartridge components and should not be used to clean the inside of the cartridge. To prevent chemical cleaners, oils, and cotton fibers from absorbing into the cartridge components, use only dry, cotton-free cloths. “Toner wipes” can only be used to clean the external surfaces of a fully assembled cartridge. Lint-free materials are very good for cleaning with alcohol or applying a conductive lubricant, but should not be used afterwards. reuse.

Lubricating powder "KYNAR"

Domestic experts often call lubricating powders talc, i.e. "talcum powder for photodrums." These lubricating powders are produced various manufacturers, but one of the most famous is KYNAR lubricating powder.

KYNAR is a fluorinated polymer used to lubricate the cleaning blade in remanufactured cartridges. By treating (dusting) the new image drum and the new cleaning blade with lubricating powder before installing them in the cartridge, you reduce friction between them during the first rotations. Under no circumstances should lubricating powder be allowed to come into contact with the PCR, as this may cause defects in the printed image. Even a small dot of lubricating powder on the surface of the PCR will not allow the drum to charge at that location, causing the “repetitive black dot” defect to occur.

Primary charge shaft - PCR

PCR is one of the most important elements affecting print quality. To clean it, you must use lint-free wipes moistened with water (after wetting, the wipes should be wrung out very well and should not leave droplets of water on the surface being wiped). Alcohol should not be used to clean the PCR because... alcohol may damage the PCR shaft coating. The determining factors for the use of PCR are its design and dimensions. Various cleaners and polishes (including wax-based ones) can add shine and cleanliness to the roller, but cannot improve its properties and may even damage the roller and other components of the cartridge.

Organic Image Drums - OPC

The best way to clean photoconductors is dry, ionized compressed air, but be careful not to touch the surface of the photoconductor with your fingers. Before installing the photodrum into the cartridge, it must be placed in a place protected from light and carefully examine the surface to look for possible damage. Cleaning solutions and coating agents can damage the image drum and, through the image drum, the PCR roller and cleaning squeegee. Therefore, the use of various chemicals for cleaning is undesirable.

Cleaning squeegee and dosing squeegee

The surface of the cleaning squeegee is a cut whose manufacturing accuracy is less than 0.25 mm, so any abrasive effect on the edge of the squeegee, such as contact with cleaning wipes, can dull the squeegee cut and lead to deterioration of its properties. Cleaning squeegees work best if they are not cleaned, polished or processed at all, because... all this will not extend their service life, but, on the contrary, will cause numerous problems (formation of a film on the surface of the photodrum and on the surface of the PCR, an increase in the gap between the squeegee and the photodrum and, as a result, worse cleaning of the photodrum, curling of the squeegee, etc.). The use of pastes, various coating agents for drums and various impregnating compounds can lead to the accumulation of these agents on the surface of the squeegee and the impossibility of removing them even with compressed air, i.e. to the impossibility of further use of the squeegee. Therefore, it is better not to use them.

The same applies to alcohol, which, by the way, is often included in the above-mentioned products. Numerous tests show that polyurethane squeegees absorb alcohol and become softer. As a result, any abrasive (cleaning) effect on the softened squeegee damages its working surface (cut). Alcohol absorbed into the squeegee can also affect the photodrum, so it is necessary to avoid exposure to alcohol on the squeegee and clean it only with dry compressed ionized air.

When installing a new squeegee, its surface must be treated either with a lubricating powder (talc), for example, KYNAR (see above), or with a high-quality toner, which will reduce the friction force between the squeegee and the photodrum. To lubricate the squeegee, it is necessary to immerse its working edge (cut ) into the lubricant and do not spread the lubricant on the surface of the squeegee, so as not to create an abrasive effect. After installing the drum and squeegee, you must rotate the drum (approximately 6 turns in the direction of normal rotation of the drum) until the lubricant settles into the waste toner hopper .

Magnetic shaft

To clean the magnetic shaft, it is best to use dry ionized compressed air. It is necessary to hold the shaft by the axis or use clean latex gloves. Touching the surface of the magnetic roller with your fingers may leave greasy marks on it, which may cause printing defects (background defects or blurry defects that repeat with the period of the magnetic roller circumference). It is not recommended to use chemical cleaners or coating agents to clean the magnetic roller. Research has shown that liquid cleaners used on mag rollers can cause poor print quality, and mag rollers treated with cleaners showed noticeably poorer print quality than untreated mag rollers.

The presence of a solvent layer on the surface of the magnetic roller can cause the following image defects:

- pale print;

- blurry image throughout the sheet;

- too bold characters;

- background image.

This may also cause toner to spill out of the cartridge.

Electrical contacts

When refilling a cartridge, you must make sure that all electrical contacts are clean of dirt and toner. Dirt on the cartridge contacts can cause poor charging of the magnetic roller and photodrum. Contacts are best cleaned with 91-99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Then a thin layer of conductive grease must be applied to the places where it was originally applied by the manufacturer.

Conductive grease for cartridges

Conductive lubricant is used in most cartridges to reduce friction at electrical contact points. When using conductive grease, the following basic rule must be followed: “Use the grease only where it was originally applied by the manufacturer.”

The application of lubricant is different for each cartridge. For detailed information on the use of conductive grease, you should refer to the cartridge refill instructions, which are sometimes issued by the main manufacturers of compatible greases. Supplies. When refilling the cartridge, it is necessary to remove the old lubricant with a brush or cloth that does not contain cotton fibers. Only then should a new lubricant be applied to the same surface. If you are replacing a cartridge element that has been lubricated, then on the new element it is necessary to apply a portion of lubricant to the same surface as on the old element.

The lubricant must be applied very carefully. The lubricant should be applied in a thin layer, the thickness of which is comparable to the thickness of the sheet notebook. You can use a wooden brush tip to apply a measured layer of lubricant. More lubricant can spread to other surfaces, e.g. stain adjacent parts of the cartridge, which will adversely affect print quality.

The conductive lubricant must remain on the lubricated surface and must “work” during the full operating cycle of the cartridge, i.e. until the next refill.

Despite the fact that the main purpose of the lubricant is to ensure better conductivity, it, however, should not increase the friction force, i.e. its use should not increase the resistance of rubbing parts.

Adding a conductive lubricant in the hope of increasing the charge on the magnetic roller or image drum does not work, although attempts have been made to do so in the event of a defect such as dark printing. Among some circles of experts there is an opinion that if a “dark print” defect occurs, lubricating the contacts of the magnetic shaft, PCR and the ground contact of the photodrum will solve the problem and get rid of the dark background and dark image. But actually it is not.

As a conclusion to this review, we present to your attention a summary table (Table 1), which provides recommendations for the use of various products, materials and devices for cleaning various elements of laser printer cartridges.

Table 1. Recommendations for using tools and methods for cleaning cartridge elements

Cartridge component		Alternative cleaning method
Image drumOPC	Dry ionized compressed filtered air	No	Toner wipes, coating compounds, impregnating compounds, polishing compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type
Primary charge shaft PCR		Compressed air	Toner wipes, coating compounds, impregnating compounds, polishing compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type (including water-based)
Magnetic shaft	Compressed air	No	Toner wipes, coating compounds, impregnating compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type
Cleaning squeegee ( Wiper Blade)	Compressed air	A lint-free cloth soaked in water and well wrung out
Dosing squeegee (Doctor Blade)	Compressed air	A lint-free cloth soaked in water and well wrung out	Toner wipes, pastes, alcohol-based coating compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type
Electrical contacts	A lint-free swab soaked in isopropyl alcohol	No	No
Gaskets and seals (foam and felt)	Compressed air	Vacuum cleaner	Alcohol and solvents of any type
Toner Hopper	Compressed air	Vacuum cleaner (when using, be very careful not to damage the toner sensor bar)
Waste toner bin	Compressed air	Vacuum cleaner	Cleaners and Solvents
Bearings, liners, bushings, gears, etc.	Compressed air	A lint-free swab or dry lint-free cloth soaked in isopropyl alcohol	Cleaners and solvents (except for alcohol)
Dosing squeegee holder	Compressed air	Dry lint-free cloth (press lightly when cleaning)	Coatings, cleaners, solvents, alcohol

When refilling or restoring a laser printer cartridge, it is imperative to clean the surfaces from adhering toner and other types of contaminants. The service life of components and print quality directly depend on this. But since the cartridge is a rather “delicate” and structurally complex element, traditional household detergents and chemical compounds cannot be used to clean it.

In general, experts believe that the “insides” of the printer and its components should be subjected to as little mechanical stress as possible so as not to disrupt the properties of the system. But when operating any device, this cannot be avoided. Therefore, it is so important to use only special high-quality products when servicing printers.

Many reputable manufacturers (Hi-Black, Katun, Kynar, etc.) produce special compounds for cleaning and restoring the surfaces of laser cartridge parts: a product for magnetic rollers or rubber rollers and brake pads, isopropanol, talc for squeegees and photoreceptors, as well as cleaning fluid for inkjet cartridges. Their products are different high quality, non-toxic, good solvent properties, no traces, compliance European standards and exceptional safety. Cleaning products are available in aluminum cans with a manual pump, bottles made of high-quality plastic, and other containers.

One of the most effective cleaning products is considered to be dry filtered ionized compressed air, “packed” in cans. The compressed air cleaning method is recommended for all types of cartridges. It is quite gentle, since, while cleaning dust from the narrowest holes quickly and efficiently, it does not have a mechanical or chemical effect on the components. Important point: Cartridges should be cleaned using this method using special nozzles that regulate the maximum air pressure (no more than 2 bar).

Using a soft cloth and liquid roller cleaner can gently remove dirt, dust, grease, and accumulated toner from the rubber surface of this part and restore its properties.

Isopropanol is a substance intended for degreasing surfaces various types and removing dirt from them. It is used to produce IsoClene, a treatment agent for rubber parts, as well as a number of other service fluids.

A cleaner for magnetic rollers, which are typically made of aluminum, dissolves caked-on toner and returns the surface to its original working properties.

Treating the surfaces of photo rolls and squeegees with special talc, or lubricating powder made from fluorinated polymer, reduces friction and increases the service life of these parts. However, when processing them with this material, it is necessary to ensure that its particles do not fall on the primary charge roller.

The purpose of the washing liquid is to restore the printing properties of inkjet cartridges.

Even if you do not have special products on hand for cleaning and restoring the surfaces of cartridges, never use ethyl alcohol, alcohol-containing substances, or acetone for these purposes. They can damage the surface of the magnetic roller, photoreceptor drum, charge rollers, dosing and cleaning squeegee, which, naturally, will affect the print quality and operation of the printer as a whole.

Less dangerous for the “internals” laser cartridge kerosene. They even use it to produce a cleaning product for rubber surfaces, PlatenClen. However, it is not recommended for use on vinyl chloride charge rollers.

As for the primary charge shaft (PCR), in the absence of special means, it can only be cleaned with lint-free wipes moistened with water and then wrung out well so that no droplets remain on the surface of the part.

According to the general rules for using a particular reagent to remove contaminants of various natures, acetone is used to remove toner carbon deposits, isopropyl is used to remove toner residues from the photodrum, alcohol and soap are used to remove organic contaminants (oil, grease, fingerprints), ammonia solution is used to remove dense layers of dust. At the same time, no one will give you a guarantee that the use of these products will not cause harm to the components of the printing device!

Thus, to clean and restore the surfaces of laser cartridge elements, you must definitely use by special means. They extend the life of consumables, but only if used correctly!

In contact with

Classmates

The laser cartridge consists of a waste toner compartment and a toner compartment. The waste toner compartment includes the drum unit, primary charge roller, cleaning blade, and drum sealing blade. The toner compartment includes a magnetic roller, a toner dispensing blade, a magnetic roller sealing blade, a toner hopper and a sealing pin.

Since in Russia there are no unified federal standards that would fix the names of consumables for printers and copiers, these names are not unambiguous and have many synonyms.

Names of working compartments and parts of the laser cartridge mechanism

Part name	Common synonyms
I. Waste toner compartment
Image drum	Organic Photo Conductor, OPC, Drum, Drum unit, Photoreceptor, drum, photoreceptor drum, photosensitive drum
Primary charge shaft	Primary Charge Roller, PCR, charging roller, charging roller, primary charge roller
Blade cleaning	Wiper Blade, Cleaning Blade, squeegee, wiper, cleaning blade
	Recovery Blade, OPC Sealing Blade, Drum Sealing Blade
II. Toner compartment
Magnetic shaft	Magnetic developer Roller, Mag Roller, Developer Roller, development roller, image transfer roller, developer roller
Toner dispensing blade	Doctor Blade, Metering Blade
	Mag Roller Sealing Blade, mylarka
Toner Hopper	Toner Reservoir
Sealing pin	Seal, seal

I. WASTE TONER COMPARTMENT

Laser Toner Waste Box Parts

(1) Image drum- this is the photosensitive “heart” of the laser cartridge, consisting of a hollow aluminum cylinder coated with a layer of dielectric.

The photodrum can be located either in a cartridge (drum) or directly in a printer or copier (drum unit). In the first case, the photodrum is serviced together with the cartridge, in the second case – independently from the other components of the printer or copier.

The functions of the photodrum are as follows. After sending the document for printing, the primary charge shaft, pressing against the photodrum, transfers to it a negative charge and the ability to repel toner microparticles.

The laser beam transfers a document print invisible to the eye to the surface of the photodrum. The areas of the photodrum marked by the laser beam change their charge to positive and attract toner. Thanks to the attracted toner particles, a visible imprint of the document sent for printing is formed on the photodrum.

The photodrum, rolling over a sheet of paper, transfers the document print to its surface. After this, the paper medium enters the printer oven, in which it is heated. Under the influence of high temperature, the toner is fused into the paper and fixed to it.

The photodrum is the most expensive and at the same time the most capricious part of a laser printer. It is afraid of any mechanical damage; from direct sunlight it can light up and produce black prints; you cannot touch it with bare hands, since toner sticks to the sweat and grease marks remaining on its glossy surface, which leads to printing defects.

Over time, the glossy layer of the image drum wears off, resulting in poor print quality. The first sign of the end of the drum's life is black stripes along the edges of the printed document. When such stripes appear, it is necessary to diagnose the photodrum, and then either clean its surface with a special solution, or replace the photodrum with a new one.

(2) Primary charge shaft- this is a part of a laser cartridge that, evenly pressing against the surface of the photodrum, transfers to it a uniform negative charge. After the paper passes through the photodrum, the primary charge shaft neutralizes the residual effects of the previous charge on the photodrum.

The primary charge shaft consists of a metal shaft on which a layer of conductive foam or rubber is applied. This part of the laser cartridge is quite heavily contaminated with paper dust, so it needs to be cleaned regularly and thoroughly.

(3) Blade cleaning is a flat metal scraper with a polyurethane tip designed to clean the photodrum of a laser printer from microparticles of toner and paper adhering to it. In Russia, the cleaning blade is better known as a “squeegee” (from the German Rakel - scraper). In color laser printing, a squeegee removes color toner stuck to the transfer belts.

It should be noted that not all laser printers are equipped with a squeegee. In some laser models Xerox printers and Samsung, excess toner adhering to the photodrum is removed from its surface using the primary charge shaft, and from there it is shaken off with a special brush into the waste toner hopper.

(4) Drum Sealing Blade closes the gap between the image drum and the waste toner bin. The sealing blade, while not preventing waste toner from entering the hopper, does not allow it to spill back onto the paper.

II. TONER COMPARTMENT

(1) Magnetic shaft is a structural element of a laser cartridge that charges toner microbeads with a negative charge and transfers them to the surface of the photodrum.

The magnetic shaft is made in the form of a hollow tube; manufacturers use various materials for its manufacture. Samsung magnetic shafts are made of high-quality rubber, Canon and HP magnetic shafts are made of metal coated with a rubberized layer. The materials used in Samsung mag rollers are more durable than the materials used in Canon and HP mag rollers, resulting in less wear and tear and longer life.

Laser cartridge toner compartment parts

(2) Toner dispensing blade is a metal frame with a flexible plate at the end, designed to evenly distribute toner over the surface of the magnetic roller.

Metal toner dispensing blades are most often found in Samsung and Brother laser printers, but HP and Canon make them from polyurethane materials.

To perform its function, the toner dispensing blade must have a high-quality, smooth surface without defects, nicks, or protrusions. Curvature of the toner dispensing blade degrades print quality, causing light or dark longitudinal stripes to appear on the document.

HP and Canon dispensing blades are more durable than Samsung and Brother blades and therefore less prone to wear and tear. Their breakdowns usually occur due to the use of low-quality toner.

Toner particles stick to the toner dispensing blade, so it needs to be cleaned periodically to prolong its performance.

(3) Magnetic shaft sealing blade- This is a thin plate, similar in function to the sealing blade of a photodrum. The blade closes the gap between magnetic shaft and toner supply compartment. It allows toner remaining on the surface of the magnetic roller to pass into the compartment and prevents it from spilling out.

(4) Toner Hopper Designed to store unused toner. The hopper is equipped with a special wire frame (Toner Agitator Bar), which mixes the toner, keeping it in working condition, preventing it from clumping and drying out.

(5) Sealing pin– this is a seal that covers the toner hopper, protecting the toner from spilling when transporting the cartridge. The sealing pin is removed before using the cartridge.

In contact with

The most important stage of work when refilling and restoring laser printer cartridges is cleaning laser printer cartridges from old toner and various other contaminants.

The print quality of a refilled remanufactured cartridge largely depends on how carefully and in compliance with technology the cleaning procedure was carried out. A lot depends on the tools, auxiliary equipment and materials used during the work.

Today, there are hundreds of a wide variety of cleaning products, the manufacturers of which promise increased efficiency when restoring and refilling laser printer cartridges, increasing the service life of the components for which all these products are intended for cleaning, but in practice, the best results are ensured by the use of only dry ionized filtered compressed air, which can be considered the main cleaning agent. The less you actively influence the components of the cartridges, the better, since in this case their beneficial properties are not subject to all sorts of unwanted changes. A cartridge is a complex system of interconnected components, so it is very important to maintain the original balance of the entire system and the properties of its individual components for as long as possible. Rude and incorrect cleaning the laser printer cartridge usually has the opposite effect and negatively affects the quality of functioning of the entire system. Effective cleaning should prevent breakdowns and maintain optimal balance of the entire system. Cleaning with dry ionized filtered compressed air is recommended for all types of cartridges, because... it has no chemical or mechanical effect on the components of the cartridge, if, of course, cleaning is carried out correctly. Cleaning substances can accumulate or leave a residue, which is also harmful to the cartridge and its components (for example, using various types of solvents to clean squeegees: chemicals can leave a film on the squeegee, which can subsequently get on both the photoreceptor and the primary charge shaft) . Therefore, the use of various cleaning, impregnating and coating agents in this type of work is prohibited. Alcohol-based cleaners are harmful to the surface of the image drum, magnetic roller, cleaning and metering blades, and the surface of some types of primary charge rollers. The components of the cartridge, having a direct connection with the overall image formation process, can affect the quality of the print. Thus, changes in the surface properties of individual components due to chemical or mechanical effects, as a rule, significantly deteriorate the quality of subsequent printing.

Methods for cleaning laser printer cartridges

Compressed air– the most effective and efficient method for cleaning all cartridge components. Due to the fact that the cleaning head covers a larger area than when cleaning with a vacuum cleaner (with vacuum cleaning), it requires a minimum of time to complete the cleaning process (in addition, it is possible to direct air into narrow holes, which is impossible with vacuum cleaning). The fragile parts and materials used in cartridges, such as foam and felt, are difficult to clean without causing damage. The compressed air used has special requirements: oil and water contained in the air flow can be transferred to the cartridge parts, which can significantly increase the likelihood of printing problems. Static electricity can cause dust and toner to adhere to the surface of the cartridge, from where they are transferred from one part to another, contaminating the entire cartridge, making it extremely difficult to remove this toner and dust. But using dry ionized compressed air, coupled with a suitable dust removal system, can significantly improve the efficiency and quality of the cleaning process (using the appropriate nozzles and protective equipment).

Isopropyl alcohol When cleaning cartridges, it can be both useful and harmful. Alcohol can be considered harmless for electrical contacts and the saddle contact of the primary charge shaft - PCR. But the following can be damaged by alcohol: the magnetic shaft, the photoconductor, the PCR shaft, polyurethane and silicone, from which the dosing and cleaning squeegee is made. For best results, only 91-99% isopropyl alcohol should be used. Alcohol with a higher water content takes much longer to spray and leaves the surface wet for a long time. Each time after using alcohol, you need to make sure that the surface of the cartridge parts is dry, and this must be done before adding toner and assembling the cartridge.

Vacuum cleaner is an alternative to dry ionized compressed air. When cleaning, it is necessary to use special brush attachments and special attachments for cleaning narrow crevices. During cleaning, avoid touching the surface of the drum, magnetic roller and PCR with the attachments. But the vacuum cleaner has a significant drawback - when used, it is easy to damage the fragile and sensitive components of the cartridge, various seals and gaskets, the film of the return squeegee, and pieces of felt seals can be torn off and pushed out. In addition, the electrical contacts of the cartridge can be damaged. If you apply too much pressure to the vacuum cleaner attachment while cleaning the toner bin through the hopper, you can easily bend the toner sensor bar or the axle of the toner mixing blades. If the toner sensor rod (antenna) is bent away from the magnetic roller, this will cause the toner low message to appear prematurely.

Lint-free cloths and brushes, soft lint-free wipes and lint-free cotton brushes Great for cleaning cartridge components. So-called toner wipes are saturated with mineral oil, which can contaminate the cartridge components and should not be used to clean the inside of the cartridge. To prevent chemical cleaners, oils, and cotton fibers from being absorbed into the cartridge components, use only dry, cotton-free cloths (toner wipes are only used to clean the outside surfaces of a fully assembled cartridge). Lint-free materials are very good for cleaning with alcohol or applying conductive lubricant, but should not be reused after this has been done.

Lubricating powders like "KYNAR"(domestic experts call them “talc for photodrums”) are produced by various manufacturers, but one of the most famous is the lubricating powder “KYNAR” (this is a fluorinated polymer). By treating (dusting) the new image drum and the new cleaning blade with lubricating powder before installing them in the cartridge, you reduce friction between them during the first rotations. Under no circumstances should lubricating powder be allowed to come into contact with the PCR, as this may cause defects in the printed image. Even a small dot of lubricating powder on the surface of the PCR will cause a “repetitive black dot” defect.

When refilling a cartridge, you must make sure that all electrical contacts are clean of dirt and toner. Dirt on the cartridge contacts can cause poor charging of the magnetic roller and photodrum. Contacts are best cleaned with 91-99% isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Then a thin layer of conductive grease must be applied to the places where it was originally applied by the manufacturer.

Conductive Grease used in most cartridges to reduce friction at electrical contact points. The application of lubricant for each cartridge is different. To obtain detailed information about the use of conductive grease, you must refer to the instructions for refilling cartridges, which are sometimes issued by manufacturers of compatible consumables. When refilling the cartridge, it is necessary to remove the old lubricant with a brush or cloth that does not contain cotton fibers. Only then should a new lubricant be applied to the same surface. It must be applied very carefully. The lubricant must be applied in a thin layer, the thickness of which is comparable to the thickness of a notebook sheet.

Cartridge component		Alternative cleaning method
OPC drum	Dry ionized compressed filtered air		Toner wipes, coating compounds, impregnating compounds, polishing compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type
Primary charge shaft PCR		Compressed air	Toner wipes, coating compounds, impregnating compounds, polishing compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type (including water-based)
Magnetic shaft	Compressed air		Toner wipes, coating compounds, impregnating compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type
Cleaning Squeegee (Wiper Blade)	Compressed air	A lint-free cloth soaked in water and well wrung out
Dosing squeegee (Doctor Blade)	Compressed air	A lint-free cloth soaked in water and well wrung out	Toner wipes, pastes, alcohol-based coating compounds, alcohol, solvents of any type
Electrical contacts