Printer, paper and ink specs & procurement

A guide on how to choose and acquire appropriate printing hardware and consumables for use with Penny Black

Printer

We advocate for the use of Epson Inkjet printers due to their environmental benefits compared to toner-based printers, as well as their superior cost-effectiveness in delivering high-quality prints.

Epson Workforce Pro C5390

Prints in as little as 7 seconds

Where to buy

• UK:  Printerland 
• US:  Dell, Insight, CDW

Manual

epson wf-c5390.pdf

Consumables

• Ink (see vendors below)
• Maintenance Box (C9382)
• Pickup Rollers (C12C938261)

Power Consumption

Very low power: 1.1 Watt (sleep mode), 25 Watt (Printing), 9.8 Watt (Ready), 0.2 Watt (Power off)

Troubleshooting

Epson WF C5390 Troubleshooting

This printer suggests that after a certain lifetime, the rollers need replacing. There is an option to reset the counters for the roller after replacing.

Print Jams

• Even if using the rear feeder you must open the rear compartment to reset a jam - even if there’s nothing in there.
• Jams from the rear feeder are unlikely, it’s most likely struggling to draw in the first card when fully loaded - remove a few sheets to clear it.

Epson Workforce Pro EP-C800

This is the high ink capacity version of the C5390 and is usually only available from Epson Business, often through approved suppliers and leasing partners. All other aspects are identical to the C5390.

Other models

• Past models include the Epson Workforce Pro C5290 and Epson Workforce Pro C529R

Paper

When selecting the card for printing, several key factors should be considered. Inkjet printers have specific media requirements that are less flexible compared to toner-based printers. Therefore, choosing the right type of card is crucial to achieving sharp, high-quality prints while minimizing the risk of printer jams that could disrupt your packing process.

Weight and thickness

Weight is the most commonly used attribute when describing paper and card, but thickness also plays a part:

• We suggest 250 gsm card weight as this gives a good balance between jamming and a premium feel. The heavier the paper, the more likely the printer will jam.
  • US: There is no exact equivalent to 250gsm in the US. The closest is 90lb cover, which is uncommon, so if this is unavailable we recommend 80lb cover.
• Microns are the unit to measure the thickness of the paper. The thicker, the more likely it is that the printer will jam.
• The above two (thickness and weight) combined define the paper stiffness. The stiffer, the more difficult for the printer to suck in the paper which results in more jams.

Composition

• Graininess is a measure of how rough the paper feels to the touch. The grainier the paper the less sharp the image will be. A grainier card can also impact the quality of the print and make detailed sections look blurry.
• The pulp colour will affect the final colour of the paper (how white it looks) which will then have an impact on the artwork colours when printed. Pulp colour can differ based on composition and how refined it is.

A minimal grain will help avoid jams, especially for higher-weight card, and try to ensure the whitest card possible.

Finish & preprinting

• Always use uncoated paper (no finish) for inkjet printers. Ink cannot be absorbed by the paper if it has any sort of coating on it, the print will be wet and unusable.
• When pre-printing on one side of the card there are two main industrial printing methods used. The choice of method can impact appearance and jamming:
  • Digital printing: gives a sharper print but causes the Inkjet printer to jam more often, especially at high volumes, due to the finish being shinier (difficulty for the printer to grip to the paper). We mainly use digital printing.
  • Litho printing: the print can look less sharp but it has more of a matte finish which results in fewer jams (it is easier for the Inkjet printer to pull in matte paper). 

Size and environment

• You can use any size that will print in your printer. The common sizes that we have worked with are
  • A6 (4, 1/8" x 5, 7/8")
  • A6 creased (for folded inserts)
  • A5 (5, 7/8" x 8, 1/4")
  • A5 creased 
• We make sure that all the paper we use is FSC Certified. 
  
  

Ink

Genuine ink

• Produced by Epson after extensive research and development.
• Manufactured in high-tech, purpose-built facilities.
• Rigorously tested for high-quality and reliable results.
• Environmentally responsible, with programs like cartridge recycling.
• https://epson-recycling.cycleon.eu/en/home - Epson’s Ink Collection and Recycling programme

Compatible ink

• Third-party product not created, manufactured, or tested by Epson.
• Cheaper than genuine Epson inks.
• Comes without assurance from Epson, potentially leading to faults and unreliability.
• Performance may not match genuine ink cartridges.
• https://www.tonergiant.co.uk/recycling/ - Toner Giant’s Recycling programme

Where to buy

• UK Official:  Epson, Printerland  
• UK Compatible:  Cartridge People, Cartridge Save, Toner Giant
• US Official:  TonerBuzz, CDW
• US Compatible:  SwiftInk, SuperInk (Canadian, ships to US), SplashJet (refillable cartridges)