| Until recently, most inks used for signage, | | | | The ink's main ingredients are latex polymer and |
| billboards and other outdoor display media printed | | | | pigment particles. Its composition is 70% water |
| with wide-format printers are solvent inks. That is | | | | and 30% additives. It is also odorless. |
| because most of these display media are made | | | | As thus, you do not have to be strict about |
| of vinyl and the solvent in the inks used to print | | | | enforcing air ventilation requirements when using |
| them help the pigments bind with the vinyl. This | | | | HP Latex Ink because it does not release any |
| binding makes the printed outdoor display durable | | | | toxic fumes when it is used. |
| enough to withstand both rain and storm. | | | | What about Quality? |
| These days, however, print service providers are | | | | Of course, any print service provider would be |
| now looking for alternatives to solvent inks due to | | | | worried about the durability of outdoor display |
| the health and environmental problems that these | | | | media printed with wide-format printers fed with |
| inks can create. Hewlett-Packard, a leader in the | | | | HP Ink Cartridges. Are they as durable as signage |
| printer and printer ink cartridges, has come up | | | | created with solvent inks? The answer here is |
| with one such alternative, and that is the HP | | | | "yes," to a certain degree. |
| Latex Ink. | | | | According to product information released by |
| The Advantages of HP Latex Ink over Solvent | | | | Hewlett-Packard on the HP Latex Ink, any |
| Ink | | | | outdoor signage printed out with this ink on a |
| Despite the effectiveness of solvent inks in | | | | wide-format printer can last up to three years if |
| making more durable outdoor display media | | | | unlaminated and five years if laminated. As for |
| without any loss of quality, it is not really that | | | | indoor signage printed using this printer ink, the |
| safe or eco-friendly. For one, you need to be in a | | | | lifespan would be five years if unlaminated and |
| well-ventilated room with a proper air discharge | | | | ten years or more if laminated. |
| system in order to use these printer inks. | | | | Durability aside, images on these display media are |
| Otherwise, the technician operating the | | | | supposed to be vivid in color as well as sharp in |
| wide-format printer runs the risk of breathing in | | | | detail with the use of the HP Latex Ink. This |
| toxic fumes as the inks are let to dry. | | | | would be the expected result of the proprietary |
| In addition, solvent inks are not | | | | formula used in creating this printer ink, especially |
| environment-friendly. They are made from | | | | when paired with the proprietary technologies HP |
| petroleum-based chemicals which, as we know, | | | | uses in its own wide-format printer models. |
| are not renewable resources. They also have high | | | | Many industry experts believe that the HP Latex |
| levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that | | | | Ink is far from conquering the print service |
| are harmful to the environment. | | | | provider industry from the clutches of solvent |
| By comparison, the HP Latex Ink is water-based | | | | inks just yet. However, it does represent a safer |
| and made from completely recyclable materials. | | | | and eco-friendlier alternative. |