When ink is dispersed from the cartridge nozzle, it is absorbed through capillary action into the porous layer of the paper (the uneven grooves created by the fibrous paper pulp). Since the porous layer differs depending on the amount and type of the paper coating, the degree of absorption is different even for the same ink. Paper with a large amount of coating or a special type of coating reduces the contact of the ink with the porous layer and prevents ink spread. Due to these differing characteristics of paper coating, InkTec performs the ink spread test on various kinds of papers. The test measures the difference in spread between black and color inks and the spread of black ink alone, as black ink is used for most texts. These thorough tests have allowed InkTec to develop black and color inks that produce clear printouts with no spread.

	InkTec inks contain colorants and raw materials that are different from the OEM inks and are optimized by our own design. Color gamut indicates the range of color presentation. For objective and accurate measurement, InkTec measures the color quality and presentation using the widely used CIE L*a*b* values, which are the international standard. If the measured values are the same, it means the color presentation is equivalent. OD (Optical Density) is the quantification of the density of the ink spread on the paper and is used for measuring the blackness of the black ink. The inks with the same OD value have the equivalent blackness when printed. InkTec measures L*a*b* and OD values on various types of paper to develop the optimal inks for the particular printer models.

	This property measures the time required for the ink to dry after being dispersed on the media, and is directly affected by the ability of the media to absorb the ink and by the surface tension of the ink. Increasing the penetration rate to make the drying process occur faster has the negative effect of reducing the blackness of the printout. Therefore, it is important to balance both of these elements. InkTec’s sophisticated understanding of this balance provides the optimum values of blackness and penetration rate in order to satisfy both simultaneously.

	The quality of an inkjet print image is determined by droplet formation. To ensure a neatly printed image, the ink droplets jetted from the head should not leave any residual images. To ensure jet stability in various environments, InkTec performs letter printing, continuous printing, non-clogging, and humectancy tests in order to evaluate how the inks affect the heads and how long the durability of the head will last.

	All ink batches manufactured by InkTec are managed by objective quality control. We ensure stable quality of the inks by evaluating the passing or failure of each batch by our own criteria. Furthermore, the printing properties, which are the critical determining factors during the development of new inks, are also tested to check the ink performance. The physical properties are also measured by a precise analytical system and are recorded on our COI (Certification of Inspection) which is available for public viewing. By testing the manufactured inks for the conditions that were already checked during the development, we ensure that our quality control system is complete and thorough.