Speeding up inkjet drying time

[sync]

Printers like the Primera Bravo are supposed to having fast drying times. I assume that's because they use ink which is better suited to printing discs than paper. I doubt that Primera has formulated a proprietary ink. Has anyone looked into using inks which are better for printing discs?

[iooi]

Could just be they lay down less ink... Are the printers still based on epson's ?

[sync]

Yes, I guess that's a possibility. I've read that printable discs doesn't absorb ink as well as paper, so that would indicate they don't need as much.

The reviews I've read say that the Bravo uses Lexmark technology.

[iooi]

Have you got a link to these printers ?

[sync]

What kind of link?

[SCDVD]

With each brand of printer and media, there is an optimum amout of ink that should be used to print on printable media. If you use too much ink, the printable surface on the media is over saturated and it takes a long time to dry. In addition, the ink can bleed sideways on the printable layer which reduces the resolution and can also give the printed result a muddy look.

If too little ink is used, the printing looks too faint and can also look uneven.

I have found that the best way to use the correct amount of ink is by trail and error. Each brand of printer has the provision in the printer driver to set the ink level. If you select a setting like "Glossy photo paper" the ink level is often about right. If you select "Plain paper", the ink level is often too much. You can also fine tune the amount of ink used by selecting "options" or "properties" when you select "print". Each printer will vary as to how these settting are made. To determine this with your particular printer, check your printer manual.

[sync]

Does the print driver not have a setting for discs?

[SCDVD]

Some printers do, but this should be viewed as just a starting point. There is no one perfect setting for the different artwork that you will be printing. You will find that dark or heavily saturated artwork will require a different setting than light colored artwork.

[sync]

That makes sense. It will be interesting to see how many discs I use up testing this out.

[sync]

What is reasonable to expect for drying time?

[SCDVD]

With good inkjet printable media, the drying time is very quick. If it takes more than a minute or so, you are probably using too much ink. Some printable media is better than others at absorbing ink. Taiyo Yuden, Prodisc and Ritek are all good. Other brands? I don't know.