It is also called Continuous Ink Supply System or CISS and based on its name it is a system wherein there is a continuous flow of ink to an inkjet printer or cartridge. Other names it goes by are Bulk Feed Ink System or Automatic Ink Refill System.
This type of refilling system is one of the advancement in the printing industry because it is able to cut any time lost compared to replacing or refilling ink cartridges.
This continuous inkjet system works similar to that of a water dispenser wherein the amount of water used is replaced at the same time.
This type of system doesn’t require any cartridge changes or removals when refilling them.
What are the Advantages of Continuous Ink Supply System?
This type of refilling system is very economical and will save you a lot compared to when you will take your empty cartridge out of your printer to get it refilled in an accredited refilling station. Some models of printers have cartridges which have very small ink capacities. Because of this its ink supply will run out faster than some. If you have a continuous refilling system it won’t matter how small your cartridge is because it will always have ink supplied to it.
Some kinds of cartridges can’t be refilled and are disposable. This will leave you with no choice but to buy a brand new cartridge. You can save up to 80% of the price of the cartridge when you buy a continuous inkjet.
You will never have to worry ever again when your cartridge will run out and never again will you get faded print results because of low ink levels. There are times when you will forget to check the ink level of your cartridges in old printers. Because of this the tendency is that there will come a moment when it will run out and it will give you bad prints. It would be great if you have new cartridges on stock, but if not then you will have to go buy some.
Another advantage of this system is that you won’t be using anymore additional printer consumables. Since you are eliminating the need to constantly replace inkjet cartridges, you are also helping the environment. Imagine all of the people and businesses using non-continuous refilling systems. They will eventually have used and disposed of tons of cartridges.
Companies and businesses which print in bulk everyday will benefit from this system because they will never run out of ink. The refilling process of this type of system only requires putting ink into the reservoirs. There is no need to remove the cartridges which means in some models you can refill while there is even ongoing printing.
What are the Disadvantages of Continuous Ink Systems?
Not all printers come with this kind of system when bought. Also not all printer brands and models can be retrofitted with the continuous ink system. Because of this you will have to either put up with buying cartridges or opt to buy a compatible printer.
If you decide to install this system on your current printer you will be voiding its warranty. You will no longer have free repairs when it breaks down.
Depending on the quality of your printer, installing an automatic refilling system will potentially wear out the mechanism. This means that your printer’s life will shorten and has the possibility of breakdown when you least expect it.
This type of system also tends to malfunction after a long time. Sometimes it's hoses get clogged up and sometimes air gets into it and causes bad printing. Ink splattering is also a common encountered problem.
