New ink fading test results by Aardenburg Imaging

[Ink stained Fingers]

I hve received a newsletter by Aardenburg Imaging that they have uploaded a range of new test reports which are running already since quite a while - most for more than 2.5 years. (you need to register as a member to get access to the data but it's free).
https://www.aardenburg-imaging.com/light-fade-test-results/
@mikling with Precisioncolors submitted several inks for testing which I appreciate very very much since this is the first time to my knowledge that a non-OEM refill ink supplier is doing this. But this directly shows the limited use with this action - no other company - from discount to (claimed) premium refill ink suppliers - Lyson, ConeColor etc - you name it - are not willing or interested - to publish comparable data of their offerings , marketing claims about superiority is one thing, decent data to compare with would be much better . We have discussed this here in detail already, that the majority of refill ink users goes by the lowest price first, and performance is last. You can compare as well OEM to non-OEM inks with the Aardenburg data but that totally excludes an assessment of the price/performance ratio. I have done quite a lot of fading tests (as per my limited measures) just for this reason - there is no decent data available from any of such ink suppliers, and magazines don't have any interest either; digital stuff, cameras etc are tested down to the last one of millions of pixels, several times by different magazines, good printer tests are quite rare already on the internet and tests of inks don't exist, comparing them by pricing, gamut, longevity, gloss etc so that an interested user could make his own decision.

Aardenburg is addressing another issue - detrimental effects of optical brighteners which fade as well under UV exposure and react with the TiO2 causing a yellowing effect which is a commonly used whitener in paper coatings. The high exposure UV lamps during the fading tests bleach away stains from the reaction of the OBA's with the TiO2 and introduce errors to the fading results. I cannot judge the validity of these concerns, I just see that most of the inkjet papers come with OBA's with varying amounts which one exception - the HP Premium Plus Photo Paper Glossy is free of OBA's and this paper has an as good white level as many other papers with OBA's.
I don't need OBA's, I have seen them fading faster than lots of inks during my fading tests, so they are gone after some exposure, and if prints are viewed inside - living rooms etc - there is no UV radiation to excite the OBA's at all - so what - they are not needed under normal circumstances.

 

[mikling]

The precision colors Pro-100 inkset tested was the old PC42G inkset close to 5 years old. Since its inception, ongoing tests were already underway in my facilities with my own methods for an improvement in the PC42G to deliver improved durability as well as color. Approx 2 months ago such an inkset was finally finished. Over period of years I found the most durable inkset that delivered a balance of color and performance. This culminated in the Signature Inkset ( SE version) that delivers on all counts accounting that it is standard dye not the advanced dyes that the OEM is using. This new inkset uses a family of dyes that have been under test for over 3 years. In addition, the gray inks are an expensive custom situation which is normally too costly for refilling companies to offer. It is included in the SE inkset now. That was a sticking point. The SE inkset nearly died because of the cost. It is my offering to the refilling community after close to 15 years as many know. I've shown over the years how to really take care of the refill of the Canon cartridges and now I offer what I this is the ultimate inkset for the Pro-100. I'm not sure refilling gets better than this....15 years of experience and dealing with tons and tons of ink literally, it has come to this.
As for the color performance.....Toolman ( Jose Rodriguez) tests it and watch through the video and see for yourself!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5H1HS3EDQV8&t=304s , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL-aq6vE17Q&t=508s

Since those tests I had also updated the Epson K3 / HD inkset as well (Signature Edition January 2018). The OEM K3 abd HD inkset only varies by formulation and not color according to my tests. Epson updated the K3 yellow for improvement and introduced the HD yellow. Improved glossiness and longevity. The OEM K3 LK was also significantly changed as the OEM K3 LK had settling issues over a long period. My K3HD inkset also had major changes to the yellow as well since those tests. The PCK3HD inkset core components in the blacks, LLK, LK, PBK, MK is carbon based and matches Epson's tonality to an exceeding high level. For those who do carbon printing, there is a reason why carbon is THE preferred color component.

All my Signature Edition inksets are what I personally consider state of the art in refilling. Something that I always had attempted in my hobby in Hi Fi and also printing with refilling that is why I called it Signature as it embodies what I personally feel is the best that I can offer.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

I think that's interesting and important news to the Aardenburg test results that you already have the next and further improved version of inks - Special Edition - in the store. Epson K3 yellow had a longevity problem which got significantly improved with the HD inks, and it's good to hear that you could improve the yellow in your inksets as well; I tried to get some info from other suppliers specifically about the yellow issue without any success; I just got something like 'we always try to improve the performance of our products continously to give the best to our customers.............' - bla bla

 

[mikling]

I think that's interesting and important news to the Aardenburg test results that you already have the next and further improved version of inks - Special Edition - in the store. Epson K3 yellow had a longevity problem which got significantly improved with the HD inks, and it's good to hear that you could improve the yellow in your inksets as well; I tried to get some info from other suppliers specifically about the yellow issue without any success; I just got something like 'we always try to improve the performance of our products continously to give the best to our customers.............' - bla bla

Signature Edition..not Special Edition. It's my personal offering and included lots of personal effort. I could have just sold off the shelf stuff like the others but it's not "me"...hence Signature..... as it really is.

 

[mikling]

There is also the SE version of the EV6. This also addressed the weak black durability of the original EV6 as well as improved color perhaps one small notch lower than the Pro-100 SE matching. You pointed out the weak black and it was addressed actually maybe two years or so ago but it was a quiet change as that was the only change but since then the EV6SE which was quietly shipping since April or so this year is improved as well.

 

[Gurukrupa Printwell]

This is important news for every printing company. It may improves print quality with laser sharpness.

 

[Ink stained Fingers]

Aardenburg Imaging has published another newsletter , they address again the effects of optical brighteners -

LILIS - light induced low intensity staining - I'm copying a small section from their latest newsletter

SUMMARY:

1) The widely held assumption that modern media containing optical brighteners merely revert to their "natural color” as the OBAs fade is demonstrably false! Additional yellowing over time becomes easily noticeable.

2) Additional media yellowing in samples exhibiting LILIS continues even after two to three years in dark storage, but the rate of yellow stain formation at ambient room temperatures is finally beginning to slow.

3) No occurrence of LILIS has been observed with OBA‑free media!

 

[maximilian59]

If only more people would donate to Aardenburg. We could see a lot more interesting results.

 

[The Hat]

We could see a lot more interesting results.

Why ?... Because we know what the results will be, all 3rd party dye inks walk off the paper much sooner than we’d like and that’s the plain facts.. Unless someone knows different..

 

[maximilian59]

I am not that much interested in 3rd party inks. So for my Pro-1000 not many papers are in the data base. Till now I know that Moab Entrada 300 g/m2 is good. That is not much for the Lucia Pro inks.