Developer rotations
The developer rollers rotations are tracked on the print cartridge’s memory tag (e-label).
Tracking rotations enables the printer to signal that a print cartridge is low or out before the
developer and/or toner is actually worn out, which would result in print quality defects.
Over time, the toner loses its required properties due to excessive stirring and re-charging.
Although the cartridge will correctly signal LOW or OUT because of wear, some toner might
remain in the fresh toner hopper.
In addition to toner wear, the developer roller experiences wear during its life, so developer
life tracking is necessary. In situations where low-coverage documents are printed
frequently, the developer rotations might cause a LOW message before the toner level
reaches its low level.
Toner sensor
For the first 75% of the cartridge life, toner depletion within the cartridge is calculated by
pixel counting. An optical toner level sensor then tracks the final 25% of toner. The toner is
measured and then reported on the toner gas gauge on the control panel or on the supplies
status page. The transition from pixel counting to optical toner-level sensing causes no
fluctuations on the toner gas gauge. Some toner might remain in the fresh toner hopper due
to other cartridge components reaching their end of life.
Photosensitive drum rotations
Photosensitive drum rotations are also tracked on the cartridge’s memory tag. Similar to the
developer roller, tracking these rotations enables the printer to signal that a print cartridge is
low or out before the photosensitive drum is actually worn out, when print quality defects
would occur. The photosensitive drum might cause a low message when low-coverage
documents are printed frequently. Tracking drum life is essential because of drum wear and
the potential for overflow from the waste toner hopper if the photosensitive drum life is
extended past its useful life.
ENWW Image formation system 151
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