Solid ink is a printing technology delivered to businesses and home users alike by Xerox. They are constructed of three main parts or components. First is the ink vehicle, or what actually carries the ink to the printed page. The vehicle in solid ink sticks is the wax like polymer which is a defining characteristic of the solid ink technology. The polymer is much like the consistency of crayons and completely non-toxic. A member of the Xerox research team actually demonstrated the non-toxicity of the solid ink by eating a portion himself proving the environmental safety of the technology.

The wax is constructed with a colorant which is the actual ‘ink’ in the technology. The colorants are naturally derived materials that are suspended in the wax polymer. The wax has a crystalline like structure in which the colorant is stored until melting prior to the application process, similar to offset printing presses. Colorants are tested in clean rooms to ensure their non-toxic and consistent properties. The suspension of the colorant gives the solid ink its well defined and reliable color schemes. In addition to the polymer and colorants, solid ink has an additional naturally derived component responsible for the low melt temperature.

Low melting points is a signature of the Xerox solid ink; if melting temperatures were too high it would not be as environmentally friendly. The material allows for the ink to be solid at room temperature, around 68°F, and melted at around 110°F. This material is a resin material similar to the consistency of syrup when heated and applied to the page. The heating of the solid ink produces a faint waxy odor similar to a candle during the warm up process due to this resin like low melt substance. Solid ink continues to be developed by Xerox and they are the exclusive distributors of this technology.

Solid ink is a printing technology delivered to businesses and home users alike by Xerox. They are constructed of three main parts or components. First is the ink vehicle, or what actually carries the ink to the printed page. The vehicle in solid ink sticks is the wax like polymer which is a defining characteristic of the solid ink technology. The polymer is much like the consistency of crayons and completely non-toxic. A member of the Xerox research team actually demonstrated the non-toxicity of the solid ink by eating a portion himself proving the environmental safety of the technology.

The wax is constructed with a colorant which is the actual ‘ink’ in the technology. The colorants are naturally derived materials that are suspended in the wax polymer. The wax has a crystalline like structure in which the colorant is stored until melting prior to the application process, similar to offset printing presses. Colorants are tested in clean rooms to ensure their non-toxic and consistent properties. The suspension of the colorant gives the solid ink its well defined and reliable color schemes. In addition to the polymer and colorants, solid ink has an additional naturally derived component responsible for the low melt temperature.

Low melting points is a signature of the Xerox solid ink; if melting temperatures were too high it would not be as environmentally friendly. The material allows for the ink to be solid at room temperature, around 68°F, and melted at around 110°F. This material is a resin material similar to the consistency of syrup when heated and applied to the page. The heating of the solid ink produces a faint waxy odor similar to a candle during the warm up process due to this resin like low melt substance. Solid ink continues to be developed by Xerox and they are the exclusive distributors of this technology.