Inkjet Printers for Labeling CDs
Several makes of inkjet printers have been customized to print on CDs. The difference between an unmodified printer and a CD printer is only in the paper carriage, which must be modified to pass a rigid, thick disc through the mechanism instead of thin, flexible paper or film. The print head and ink cartridges are the same as those used for normal paper printing. Special, "printable" media designed for inkjet printing is required for best results. Attempting to print on plain lacquer-surfaced discs results in the ink not adhering to the disc, smearing and beading up. Printable media has a slightly porous coating that holds the ink. Different brands of media have minor differences between them; testing various brands to find the best surface for a particular printer is highly recommended.Some issues involved in evaluating the use of inkjet printers are appearance of the finished product, durability of the image printed on the disc, and whether the printing process or materials can affect the life expectancy of the disc. Another consideration is cost of use.
Appearance | Durability | Disc Longevity | Cost
Obviously, anyone who considers buying a special printer for labeling CDs is concerned with their appearance. Inkjet printers used with appropriate media can produce very attractive discs, with multiple colors and high-resolution graphics. However, if care is not taken in matching the printer with media compatible with its ink, the end product may be less pleasing. Generally, white-surfaced media is better for use with multi-colored designs, since the ink is semi-transparent and any surface color can "bleed" through, and unexpected color changes can ensue. Nonetheless, if the disc color is taken into account and integrated into the design, colored surfaces might be used effectively. Bear in mind that there are many different shades of white, and one brand may give a slightly different appearance from another on that basis alone. Also, the texture of the disc surface will affect the resulting appearance. A finer texture is required for the highest resolution, but a "nubby" surface can impart its own interest to a label.
Many people have complained that inkjet images on discs are subject to smearing if they get wet. We are currently testing several printers, including the Affex Hard Copy and Fargo Signature models for review in Burning Issues, and will report there on the validity of this claim after seeing for ourselves. It is possible that some inks may smear even if used on appropriate media surfaces, but possibly it is only ink applied to non-printable discs have this problem. Stay tuned.
Besides the durability of the image, there is a question in the minds of archivists who want to keep their discs for decades, not just years, about any possibility of damage to the disc from the ink or gasses generated by ink decomposition over long periods. This is difficult to answer since the printer manufacturers consider their ink formulas proprietary, and do not want to release information about their composition. The CD-Info Company is working to get this information insofar as it could affect CD longevity, and if we are able to do so will report it here or in Burning Issues. Until such information is available, it is probably not advisable to use inkjet printing on discs intended for long term archiving. In fact, the ANSI IT9.21 standard for data storage media handling recommends against using any kind of label on CDs used for this purpose. However, for discs intended for every day use or short-term storage (up to five or ten years), the likelihood of damage from outgassing of the ink is probably insignificant. Any potentially harmful gasses (if they exist) would be dissipated by moving the disc from its case to a reader in the instance of discs that are in use. It is probably only in discs that are kept closed up in their cases for very long periods that even a hypothetical potential for damage exists.
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Printers of this kind have a street cost in the US at present from around US$1,000 to US$2,000. The ink cartridges are an ongoing expense, running about US$50 each for a 3-color cartridge for the one brand I'm whose prices I'm familiar with. It is also necessary to use special printable media, which used to cost US$1 to US$3 more per disc than plain lacquered product. However, recent industry plans (as of Summer 1997) are to ship media with inkjet-printable surfaces for no or only a small additional cost, so that is no longer a significant concern. Another cost comes from the fact that graphics are not always perfect the first time out. It is not at all unusual to want to re-do a disc several times before getting it the way you want it if aesthetics are involved. And if aesthetics are not involved, you wouldn't be bothering with a CD-R printer in the first place. Some printers are now shipped with a supply of cardboard blanks for making proof copies. Using these can help prevent unpleasant surprises. The color and surface of the media affect the appearance of the final printed image, and all printable media differs between brands, and even between types of the same brand. Results might not be what you expected every time because of the texture and color bleed-through. Some inkjet pigments are semi-transparent, and none are totally opaque, and each type of media has a slightly different surface texture and absorbtion properties. Experimentation is necessary to obtain good results. So count on more wasted media than usual if you use a CD-R printer.
Inkjet printers can be very good for providing a mid-range solution to the labeling requirement. The image quality is not as sharply defined as with silkscreen or wax transfer, but with good design and media surface appropriate for the appearance desired, discs labeled this way can be very attractive. Inkjet labels should not be considered highly durable, since some inks might smear when dampened and all of them are subject to more effects of wear than silkscreened or wax-transfer labels, since the ink is not cured. Also, any effects of the ink on CD-R media longevity have not been determined. No on-disc labeling should be used for discs intended for long-term archiving according to the ANSI standard, but for identifying and decorating discs for distribution or short-term storage, inkjet technology can be moderately economical and aesthetically pleasing.
NB: Product reveiws of several current inkjet printers are now available in our subscription website, Burning IssuesBack to the top