The Challenge of Inkjet Printers: Making Offices More Environmentally Responsive

PX-B500

Comparison of PX-B500 and LP-V500
Inkjet A4 Double sided Laser A4

Easy to use structure

Replacing ink cartridges Panel operation
color/mono 37 sheets/min.

LP-V500

color 5 sheets/min.
Maximum paper feed 650 sheets
mono Maximum paper 25 sheets/min. feed *sheets
Reduce power consumption in 848Wh
Comparison of power consumption for one month (based on Epson evaluation conditions)
your office with an inkjet printer
Replacing maintenance box
With the current rise of global warming and climate change, consideration for the environment is an essential component of corporate management. Corporate response to the environment is required not only for production and distribution, but also for office operations. Epson have recognized the need for environmental responsiveness in these times, and have developed and launched to the world their lineup of inkjet printers for business use.
established the three basic policies of "energy-saving design," "resource saving," and "elimination of harmful substances" i n a continued effort to reduce the environmental impact over the full course of a product's life cycle, from planning and development to resource procurement, manufacturing, distribution, use, and collection and recycling. Inkjet printers are a
Seiko Epson Corporation Consumer Products Department General Manager Mr.Yoji

PX-B500 LP-V500

For one month, power consumption reduced approx.

consumption

90%, electricity fee reduced approx. 171yen
Replacing papers 500 sheets paper cassette
Primary functions, such as the replacing ink cartridges, the maintenance box, the paper feed tray, the panel for function settings and checking remaining amounts of paper/ink are located on the front at the opening, for easy and convenient use.

8,628Wh

Reduction of CO
Comparison of CO2 emissions over a 3-year life cycle (Equivalent CO2:kg) (based on Epson evaluation conditions) *3
across the entire life cycle
Equal to the amount absorbed by

discharge

Over 3 years, CO2 reduced by approx.

23 Japanese cedars

annually *4
Individual high capacity ink cartridges

M size cartridges

Using Technology Developed for Consumers in Products for Businesses The PX-B500 model has the following features. First, it has very low power consumption. Takashi Kato, Manager of the Consumer Products Product Planning Department, has said, "Through a variety of innovations such as staggering the operation timing of various mechanisms and limiting standby power consumption, we have been able to eliminate wasted power usage." From the perspective of cost, they greatly reduced the number of new parts, and converted parts from existing products when possible. However, they were particular about durability, and in fact improved durability by changing the materials for some parts. For example, the rollers that separate paper as it is being fed were designed so that they would

75% equal to 328kg

L size cartridges
*1 Different methods are used to measure the printing speeds of the PX-B500 and the LP-V500. See the product pages for each printer for more information. *2 CO2 emissions, electric power consumption, and electricity fees will vary depending upon actual printer usage conditions (number of pages printed, usage frequency, documents printed, working hours, number of days, etc.). In addition, electricity fees are determined according to the conditions of your contract with your utility company. *3 CO2 emissions and power consumption based on Epson evaluation conditions. "CO2 emissions": According to the Life Cycle Assessment Method, the global warming impact during a product's entire life cycle (product materials, product manufacture, transport, customer usage (assuming 3 years of use), and collection/recycling of used products) is calculated as CO2 emissions. "Power consumption": calculated for 100 color A4 sheets copied per day, with one day defined as 8 hours with the product turned on, and 16 hours with the product turned off, for 20 working days per month. *4 The CO2 absorption by Japanese cedars is calculated as 14kg- CO2/year (based on 2005 data from the Forestry Agency). 100V is used for calculation, based on Japanese specifications.
LL size cartridges(black)
Individual high capacity ink cartridges have been adopted to reduce cost and the frequency of replacements. In addition to the standard M size, the larger L size and LL size (black only) are available.
continue to function even when worn down. In addition, through the adoption of high capacity cartridges, the number of ink replacements has been greatly reduced. Here, they have used the cartridges designed for Epson's large format printers. L size cartridges are used in place of the normal M size cartridges, with LL size cartridges for frequently used black ink. They also collect used ink cartridges. Of course, these printers are also completely equipped with the functions required for business use. Features for office use include a printing speed of 37 sheets/minute in A4 high-speed mode, and a front cassette that can hold 500 sheets of paper. According to Sasai, "The PX-B500 is an unparalleled low-cost, environmentally responsive product. These printers were made possible due to a completely streamlined design and the use of technology developed for consumer products." As a result, a dramatic level of energy conservation has been achieved when compared with laser printers (LP-V500/

AcuLaser C1100), with CO2 emissions across the entire life cycle reduced by approximately 75%, and electric power consumption reduced by approximately 90%. Combining Office Convenience with Ecology When aiming for energy conservation and CO2 reduction in an office environment, the accumulation of many small efforts, such as saving electricity and adjusting air conditioning temperature, is extremely important. From this perspective, it can be said that the PX-B500, which Sasai describes as "Designed with careful consideration for cost per sheet of paper printed," would be a powerful ally as an energy-saving piece of office equipment. In addition, since consumables are easily replaceable in inkjet printers, downtime such as that required for laser printers for regular inspection and replacement of
consumables by a professional is no longer necessary. This is a big advantage for offices, since work no longer need be interrupted. It is likely that only one of these printers would be sufficient to fulfill the role necessary for SOHO and small offices. For offices of a scale that require multiple units, the PX-B500 is useful for saving energy even if used alongside a different main printing machine. For Epson, the PX-B500 represents a single challenge in itself. It also represents the opening of a new market, to test the receptivity of products that combine office convenience with environmental consciousness. Sasai indicated has motivation by saying, "We look forward to receiving feedback from our customers, including opinions about how they use these printers, and then applying those ideas for further enhancements in the future."
major example. Yoji Sasai, General Manager of the Consumer Products Department, has said, "From early on, we have pursued high-quality photo images and speedy printing, as well as environmental conscious design, and a reduction in parts and cost." As a result, the total per-day power consumption of an inkjet printer (A4) today is approximately 1/5 that of 1998. Inkjet printers have always consumed less power consumption than laser printers. This is because, rather than heat, they use Piezo elements that change shape when voltage is applied, as a mechanism for discharging ink. Conventionally, and based on trends of general compartmentalization, laser printers have been used in offices while inkjet printers have been designed for the consumer market. However, Epson have utilized an environmentally conscious inkjet method to develop inkjet printers for the business market. This is the PX-B500 (B-500DN/ B-508DN) model.
Inkjet Printers as Environmentally Conscious Products Used Every Day Global environment issues are a current concern for the entire human race. This year in particular marks the start of the First Commitment Period of the Kyoto Protocol, and there can be no delay in our response to global warming. Corporations must press ahead aggressively, such as by reducing CO2 and other greenhouse gases, and reducing energy and recycling in various areas throughout their businesses. Energy conservation has become a major issue not only for manufacturing and distribution, but also for office operations. In particular, environmentally responsive printers are receiving much attention. Epson have been pressing ahead aggressively on environmental measures for many years. Regarding product development in particular, they have

Seiko Epson Corporation Consumer Products Product Planning Department Manager Mr.Takashi
3-3-5 Owa, Suwa-shi, Nagano-ken 392-8502, Japan
Tel: +81-266-52-3131 (main) URL: http://www.epson.co.jp/e/
<This article originally published in Nikkei Business (Nikkei Business Publications, Inc.) as an editorial advertisement.>