What Is a Bubble Jet Printer?
Bubble jet printing technology was designed by Cannon for use in its consumer-level printers. Bubble jet is a sister technology to ink-jet technology and in many ways is very similar, which is why the terms are often used interchangeably. However, there are some important differences between bubble jet printers and ink jet printers.
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Jet Technology
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Bubble jet printers look very much like ink jet printers. Both printers use pressure to fire tiny droplets of ink from nozzles onto the paper. There is circuitry that tells the print head what color ink to fire, when and where to fire it, and how much to fire. Those microscopic droplets are so small that the picture or text it appears crisp and clear on paper.
Bubble and Ink Jet Differences
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Ink jet technology was developed first by Hewlett Packard; later, Cannon developed bubble jet technology. Most manufacturers currently sell printers that employ both technologies. Both technologies are very similar in circuitry, nozzle function and design. The major difference lies in what is used to propel the tiny droplets of ink through the nozzles. Ink jet printers use crystals to fire the ink and bubble jet printers use heat.
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Crystal Fired Ink
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Crystals have been used for decades in all types of electronic circuitry. When electricity is applied to a tiny piece of crystal, the crystal will react by changing shape or size; if an electric charge is applied and removed in rapid succession the crystal will vibrate at the frequency of the pulse. In ink jet printers, there is a crystal behind each nozzle; when an electric pulse is applied to the crystal, it vibrates and propels the ink through the nozzle.
Bubble Fired Ink
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Bubble jet printers use a different technology to fire ink through the nozzle. The ink used in ink jet and bubble jet printers is primarily composed of water and pigments. Bubble jet printers fire ink through the nozzle by rapidly heating the ink behind each nozzle, which boils the water in the ink; that creates a tiny bubble of steam that propels the ink through the nozzle.
Ink Jet vs Bubble Jet Printers
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Although the differences in the technologies are minimal, there are some things to consider. In bubble jet printing, there is much more heat created, which can lead to several problems. First, the heating elements are under much more stress in bubble jet printers than are the crystals in ink jet printers and are prone to early failure. Second, whenever any substance is heated to high temperatures, it leaves behind a residue; that residue can eventually clog the tiny openings in nozzles and cause buildup around them which can misdirect the ink droplets. Because there is no way to clean the nozzles on ink cartridges, there will be a buildup of residue on both refurbished and refilled bubble jet cartridges. That is why most commercial jet printers are ink jet printers. If you are trying to save money by refilling ink cartridges or purchasing refurbished cartridges, ink jet printers are for you. However, ink jet printers are usually more expensive, since manufacturing costs are higher, so if you just need a low-cost printer for occasional use, a bubble jet printer may be a better option.
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