OEM Toner Cartridges vs. Remanufactured Toner Cartridges

Companies that print checks with MICR printers have tough decisions to make when choosing the toner cartridges they use in their printers, and determining the true cost of using remanufactured cartridges. Remanufacturers often claim that reused toner cartridges are not only less expensive, but offer higher yields than OEM cartridges. As one of the industry's leading suppliers of MICR printers and consumables, we have compiled the following questions that we routinely receive from customers on this important subject.

> What is the difference between OEM and remanufactured toner cartridges?
> Are there differences between OEM toner and remanufactured toner?
> How do I compare toner yield claims among manufacturers?
> Some remanufacturers advertise that their cartridges double the yield of OEM cartridges. Is this assertion true?
> By using remanufactured cartridges, aren't I recycling and helping the environment?
> Remanufactured toner cartridges cost less than OEM cartridges. Why should I pay more?

Q: What is the difference between OEM and remanufactured toner cartridges?

Source Technologies' MICR toner cartridges are designed specifically for MICR applications. The more than 80 different components are precision-engineered and assembled in our automated manufacturing facility. Source Technologies' MICR toner cartridges go through a 300-step manufacturing process that is designed to optimize print quality, yield, reliability, and stability over the life of the cartridge.

A remanufactured MICR toner cartridge may start out as brand new or previously used. Depending on availability of empty cartridges, it may have originally been filled with either standard or MICR toner. Whether new or used, a remanufactured cartridge is emptied, disassembled, cleaned, reassembled, and refilled with toner.

In order to produce the highest quality cartridges at the lowest feasible cost, OEM manufacturers like Source Technologies engineer the components for just one life cycle of toner. Reusing a cartridge with these worn components can compromise quality, introduce check readability problems, potentially damage printer components, and in some cases may even present health hazards to users.

Q: Are there differences between OEM toner and remanufactured toner?

Yes and these differences can create significant headaches for the user. Where poor standard (non-MICR) toner simply results in poor quality documents, poor MICR toner results in check reader/sorter rejects and misreads, and the associated costs.

Source Technologies' MICR toner is developed using proprietary formulas and techniques that are engineered specifically for use in Source Technologies' MICR printers. Toner is typically made by melt-mixing a solid mixture of plastic resin, colorants, and additives, then milling the compound into precisely controlled particle sizes to enable high resolution printing. The melting point of our MICR toner is specifically formulated to match the fuser temperatures of each MICR printer, ensuring satisfactory prints and protecting the life of the fuser.

Poorly formulated toner, or toner generically mixed for a variety of printer makes and models, often yields less than adequate performance. Some examples are:

• Poor fusing - this results in microscopic amounts of flaking off the page. While the output may look good to the human eye, this flaking may result in reader/sorter rejects, or worse, reader/sorter misreads.
• Reader/sorter streaking - toner that fuses at low temperatures may work well in the printer, but break down as a check moves through the financial system. The heat and pressure of multiple reader/sorter passes causes inferior toner to melt and streak across the check.
• Density variations - Source Technologies toner is formulated for each printer ensuring exact and consistent density of toner applied to the MICR line. Toner density that is too high or too low may result in reader/sorter rejects or misreads. Buyers should be wary of toner yield claims that require the user to adjust print density for MICR documents.

Q: How do I compare toner yield claims among manufacturers?

In 2005, Buyers Laboratory, Inc. performed a study of eleven remanufactured toner brands and OEM toner. This study found that of 644 remanufactured toner cartridges that were tested, only 56% performed to the expected page counts. In comparison, 100% of OEM toner cartridges performed to the promised yields.

One way you can make sure the toner you are buying is going to yield the expected results is to ask your supplier if they follow ISO standards for toner yield testing. Source Technologies adheres to ISO yield standards (ISO/IEC 19752:2004), so you may rest assured that our toner cartridges will meet or exceed the stated yields.

Another important yield issue is the quality of the output; high yields mean nothing if a large percentage of the printed pages are unusable. The same Buyers Laboratory study also examined image quality and found that 19% of remanufactured toner cartridges experienced print quality defects out of the box, while only 3% of OEM cartridges exhibited quality defects near the end cartridge life. Image problems included gray background on pages and marks on pages from drum defects and toner spills.

Q: Some remanufacturers advertise that their cartridges double the yield of OEM cartridges. Is this assertion true?

Remanufacturers often alter or entirely remove cartridge components in order to squeeze more toner into a used cartridge. While this may increase the yield of the cartridge, it will also typically introduce excessive waste-toner. Waste-toner is a natural part of the laser printing process, but excessive waste-toner can introduce "dust" into the print mechanism. While the high-yield claims save buyers money in the short run, it typically results in premature printer failure. The Buyers Laboratory study concluded, "Print problems requiring premature fuser maintenance kit replacement were experienced with every remanufactured cartridge brand tested, resulting in replacement of the fuser, charge roller, and transfer roller."

Example of toner build up on remanufactured cartridge roller (in orange).

Q: By using remanufactured cartridges, aren't I recycling and helping the environment?

Recycling and reusing are not the same thing. Source Technologies offers a recycling program for our customers, which allows us to recycle and reclaim 100% of the cartridge.

Reusing a toner cartridge may spare the cartridge, but because the housing and components are designed by the original manufacturer for single-use, remanufactured cartridges (especially double-yield cartridges) are prone to toner leakage, which can potentially cause other types of environmental issues.

All Source Technologies cartridges and printers undergo extensive emission testing to ensure total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) released during MICR printing are not at harmful levels and that calculated room concentrations would not result in exposure above OSHA's permissible exposure limit. Extensive AQS testing ensures that our products meet or exceed federal guidelines on user exposure to hazardous chemicals. Buyers need to be sure that they are not exposing their employees to hazardous materials and likewise are not exposing their companies to undue liabilities. Make sure your toner supplier has invested in the proper levels of health and safety testing to avoid this risk.

Q: Remanufactured toner cartridges cost less than OEM cartridges. Why should I pay more?

When reviewing the cost savings of remanufactured versus OEM toner cartridges, you have to look at the whole picture; remanufactured cartridges may cost less, however when you factor in the ongoing costs of underachieved toner yields, premature printer failures, and excessive maintenance, the picture looks very different. The chart below from the Buyers Laboratory study compares the actual results of OEM toner cartridges versus both the manufacturers' claims and actual results of remanufactured toner cartridges:

This comparison does not factor in opportunity costs such as printer downtime, increased help-desk support, service calls, cost of reprinting, etc.

Some of our customers have experienced first-hand the differences between Source Technologies' and remanufactured toner. The following are examples of Source Technologies' customers that tried remanufactured MICR toner, but because of print quality and printer damage issues, returned to using Source Technologies OEM toner.

Example 1

One of the nation's largest temporary staffing companies was experiencing premature failure of their MICR printers. Additionally, their checks were not being read properly by reader/sorters, resulting in bank reject fees. It was later determined that these problems were due to their use of remanufactured toner that was too abrasive for the printer, causing fuser failures. Also, leaking toner caused further internal damage to the printers. As a solution, the company switched to Source Technologies OEM MICR toner. This move effectively solved all of their check-printing problems.

Example 2

Source Technologies is proud to have more than 30 state WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) programs as customers. One of our largest WIC customers decided to save on the cost of MICR toner by moving to remanufactured toner cartridges. Eighteen months later, they returned to using Source Technologies toner cartridges after experiencing streaking, smearing, and other image quality problems that resulted in numerous bank reject fees.

Example 3

A large food supplier came to Source Technologies with a unique problem. They were utilizing remanufactured toner for printing their payroll checks. Their employees were working in a high-temperature and harsh environment, oftentimes causing the MICR toner to smear and streak on their paychecks. It was determined that the toner was not properly adhering to the check stock. After switching to Source Technologies MICR toner, they are no longer experiencing this problem.