ISO/IEC 29142-1:2021
(Main)Information technology — Print cartridge characterization — Part 1: General: terms, symbols, notations and cartridge characterization framework
Information technology — Print cartridge characterization — Part 1: General: terms, symbols, notations and cartridge characterization framework
This document establishes terms, symbols, notations and a framework for characterizing toner and ink cartridges used in printing devices that have a digital input printing path, including multi-function devices. This document is intended for equipment used in office environments. It primarily provides a foundation for measuring, evaluating, or specifying characteristics of such toner and ink cartridges. The terms, symbols, notations and framework established herein can be applied to such cartridges. The characterizations associated with the terms, symbols, notations, and framework established herein are specified throughout the ISO/IEC 29142 series.
Technologies de l'information — Caractérisation des cartouches d'impression — Partie 1: Généralités : termes, symboles, notations et cadre pour la caractérisation des cartouches
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Standards Content (Sample)
INTERNATIONAL ISO/IEC
STANDARD 29142-1
Second edition
2021-08
Information technology — Print
cartridge characterization —
Part 1:
General: terms, symbols, notations
and cartridge characterization
framework
Technologies de l'information — Caractérisation des cartouches
d'impression —
Partie 1: Généralités : termes, symboles, notations et cadre pour la
caractérisation des cartouches
Reference number
©
ISO/IEC 2021
© ISO/IEC 2021
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, or required in the context of its implementation, no part of this publication may
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Email: copyright@iso.org
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Published in Switzerland
ii © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Requirements . 8
5 Structure of the ISO/IEC 29142 series . 8
5.1 Data reporting . 8
5.2 Environmental . 8
5.3 Toner and ink cartridge characterization . 9
6 Framework overview for cartridge characterization. 9
6.1 Elements of a print system . 9
6.2 Cartridge configurations.10
6.3 Performance attributes measured on a printed page .10
6.4 Physical attributes .11
7 Attribute framework for testing and characterizing cartridges .11
7.1 Overview .11
7.2 Special considerations for binomial and continuous performance point attributes .13
7.3 Special considerations for point and lifetime binomial attributes.13
7.4 Special considerations for performance testing with page-attribute values .13
7.5 Test requirements for all attributes .16
7.5.1 Set-up .16
7.5.2 Sample size for continuous attributes .16
7.5.3 Sample size for binomial attributes .16
7.5.4 Additional cartridge sampling considerations.17
7.5.5 Print and test environment . .17
7.5.6 Paper .18
7.5.7 Maintenance .18
7.5.8 Test chart files .18
7.6 Test methodology for lifetime and point attributes .19
7.6.1 Sample interval for printing test charts .19
7.6.2 Test sample frequency calculation for attributes tested in a life test process .20
7.6.3 Testing procedure .20
7.6.4 Conditioning and measurement of test chart components for page-
attribute values .20
7.6.5 Procedure for handling a defective cartridge or printer .22
8 Framework requirements for determination of declared attribute values .22
8.1 Determination of the declared value for continuous lifetime or continuous
physical attributes.22
8.2 Determination of the declared value for continuous point attributes .23
8.3 Determination of the declared value for lifetime, point and physical binomial attributes 25
9 Framework requirements for reporting cartridge-characterization results .25
Annex A (informative) Terms cross-reference .26
Bibliography .29
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved iii
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (the International Electrotechnical
Commission) form the specialized system for worldwide standardization. National bodies that are
members of ISO or IEC participate in the development of International Standards through technical
committees established by the respective organization to deal with particular fields of technical
activity. ISO and IEC technical committees collaborate in fields of mutual interest. Other international
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO and IEC, also take part in the
work.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for
the different types of document should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www .iso .org/ directives or www .iec .ch/ members
_experts/ refdocs).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject
of patent rights. ISO and IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent
rights. Details of any patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the
Introduction and/or on the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www .iso .org/ patents) or the IEC
list of patent declarations received (see patents.iec.ch).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO's adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) see www .iso .org/
iso/ foreword .html. In the IEC, see www .iec .ch/ understanding -standards.
This document was prepared by Joint Technical Committee ISO/IEC JTC 1, Information technology,
Subcommittee SC 28, Office equipment.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO/IEC 29142-1:2013), which has been
technically revised.
The main changes compared to the previous edition are as follows:
— revision of the term “black-only printer” in order to harmonize with ISO/IEC 22505.
A list of all parts in the ISO/IEC 29142 series can be found on the ISO and IEC websites.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A
complete listing of these bodies can be found at www .iso .org/ members .html and www .iec .ch/ national
-committees.
iv © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
Introduction
The purpose of this document is to define the framework for characterizing ink and toner cartridges
used in printing devices that have a digital input printing path, including multi-function devices.
This document defines terms, symbols, and notations used throughout the ISO/IEC 29142 series to
characterize such ink and toner cartridges.
Customer information related to ink and toner cartridges is not consistent in the global marketplace.
Cartridge manufacturers, including original, non-original manufacturers, refillers, and remanufacturers,
have each communicated expressions of cartridge characteristics.
The ISO/IEC 29142 series is provided to aid transparency between manufacturers, suppliers and
their customers regarding selected cartridge characteristics. The selected cartridge characteristics
do not allow an exhaustive cartridge characterization. Where applicable, cartridge attributes and the
associated characterization tests are used consistently with both ink and toner cartridge technologies.
The selected cartridge attributes are defined for all cartridges, regardless of manufacturing
methodology.
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved v
INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO/IEC 29142-1:2021(E)
Information technology — Print cartridge
characterization —
Part 1:
General: terms, symbols, notations and cartridge
characterization framework
1 Scope
This document establishes terms, symbols, notations and a framework for characterizing toner and
ink cartridges used in printing devices that have a digital input printing path, including multi-function
devices. This document is intended for equipment used in office environments.
It primarily provides a foundation for measuring, evaluating, or specifying characteristics of such toner
and ink cartridges.
The terms, symbols, notations and framework established herein can be applied to such cartridges.
The characterizations associated with the terms, symbols, notations, and framework established herein
are specified throughout the ISO/IEC 29142 series.
2 Normative references
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 5-3, Photography and graphic technology — Density measurements — Part 3: Spectral conditions
ISO 13655, Graphic technology — Spectral measurement and colorimetric computation for graphic arts
images
ISO/IEC 29142-2, Information technology — Print cartridge characterization — Part 2: Cartridge
characterization data reporting
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https:// www .iso .org/ obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https:// www .electropedia .org/
3.1
all-in-one toner cartridge
cartridge that includes at least: a toner (3.64) containment part (3.15), a photoreceptor part (3.47) and a
developer part (3.20)
Note 1 to entry: See Annex A for the term categorization.
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved 1
3.2
monochrome printer
printer (3.51) only capable of printing black and not configurable to print another colourant
Note 1 to entry: More than one black cartridge can be installed simultaneously if they have the same cartridge
identifier (3.10).
[SOURCE: ISO/IEC 22505:2019, 3.8, modified — The term was originally “monochrome inkjet printer”.]
3.3
binomial attribute
attribute which either occurs or does not occur and which is characterized by a count of the number of
times it occurs in a particular number of observations
Note 1 to entry: A random process is said to be binomial if it satisfies four basic properties:
a) it consists of a sequence of n trials for some n > 1,
b) each trial has exactly two possible outcomes, A and B, which are mutually exclusive,
c) P(A), the probability of A, takes the same value P on all n trials. P(B) is likewise fixed at 1-p,
d) the n trials are independent of one another.
3.4
cartridge
user replaceable unit (3.67) operating with a printing system that includes at least a containing
mechanism designed for materials intended for deposition on a substrate (3.62)
3.5
cartridge-attribute test report
report including the information of a cartridge customer report (3.18) and the detailed cartridge-
characterization results of an ISO/IEC 29142 cartridge-characterization test (3.6) reported for customer
presentation according to a required format
Note 1 to entry: The format is prescribed according to each ISO/IEC 29142 standardized or specified cartridge-
characterization test and is in conformance with ISO/IEC 29142-2.
3.6
cartridge-characterization test
test method provided in conformance with this document for the purpose of evaluating an attribute of
a cartridge or cartridge set (3.12) of interest to cartridge and cartridge set users
3.7
cartridge collector
party providing a cartridge take-back (3.63) or collection program
EXAMPLE A business entity designated to collect cartridges.
3.8
cartridge element
sub piece of a cartridge other than the containment part (3.15) of the cartridge
3.9
cartridge end-of-life
point in a cartridge life cycle from which the cartridge is no longer used for its intended purpose
without additional non-customer interaction
3.10
cartridge identifier
formatted human readable arrangement of information uniquely specifying a distinct cartridge
2 © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
3.11
cartridge life percent completion point
point in the life of a cartridge computed as a percent of expected cartridge life (3.25)
3.12
cartridge set
group of colourants and their assignment to one or more cartridges as defined by a printer manufacturer
to be necessary and sufficient to produce the fully functional default colour renditions
EXAMPLE 1 A printer (3.51) often has more than one fully functional cartridge set.
EXAMPLE 2 Default colour renditions: printed black, red, green, blue, cyan, magenta, and yellow.
3.13
cartridge supplier
cartridge marketer, manufacturer, remanufacturer (3.57), refiller (3.55), or distributor, being the party
or parties responsible for marketing the cartridge and providing customer support for the cartridge
3.14
colour printer
printer (3.51) with an operating part to apply ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) on a substrate (3.62), with a
functionality to produce print output containing colours
3.15
containment part
part containing the mechanism designed for materials intended for deposition on a substrate (3.62)
3.16
continuous attribute
attribute which can take on any of a range of values
3.17
cross-systems attribute tolerance range
CSATR
range of actual attribute values for a cartridge-characterization attribute of a particular cartridge-
characterization test method, determined from evaluation of exemplary systems to which the test
method applies
3.18
customer report
report, including a cartridge notification, and a cartridge-attribute checklist, with summary results of
selected ISO/IEC 29142 cartridge-attribute characterization tests, presented according to a required
format
Note 1 to entry: The format is prescribed according to each ISO/IEC 29142 standardized or specified cartridge-
characterization test (3.6) and is in conformance with ISO/IEC 29142-2.
3.19
deposition material
material, ink (3.28) or toner (3.64), liquid or solid, colourant or non-colourant, that can be contained in a
cartridge, and that is designed for deposition on a surface by means of a printing system
3.20
developer part
physical mechanism, which is often a cartridge element (3.8), which functions to apply toner (3.64)
particles to the latent image on the photoreceptor part (3.47) of an electrophotographic printing system
3.21
discrete attribute
attribute which can take only a finite number of values within a range, such as an integer count
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved 3
3.22
dye ink
material designed for liquid state deposition on a substrate (3.62), including a chemical dye colourant
3.23
electrophotographic printer
printer (3.51) principally using optoelectronic phenomena and electrostatic attraction to move toner
(3.64) to a substrate (3.62)
3.24
end-of-life
phase in a cartridge life cycle when the cartridge can no longer be used for its intended purpose without
additional non-customer interaction
3.25
expected cartridge life
approximate number of pages likely to be printed from a cartridge when ran to cartridge end-of-life
(3.9) according to an ISO/IEC 29142 standardized or specified test method
3.26
filled cartridge
user replaceable unit (3.67) of a printing system that includes at least ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) materials,
intended for deposition on a substrate (3.62) and a containing mechanism for such materials
3.27
incineration
disposal method that involves combustion of waste material converting it into heat, gas, steam and ash
but not including smelting
3.28
ink
material, which often includes colourant, designed for liquid state deposition on a substrate (3.62)
3.29
ink cartridge
user replaceable unit (3.67) of a printing system that includes at least a containing mechanism designed
for ink (3.28) intended for deposition on a substrate (3.62)
3.30
ink deposition mechanism
imaging apparatus for depositing ink (3.28) on a printing substrate (3.62)
EXAMPLE A printhead.
3.31
inkjet printer
printer (3.51) with an operating part, for example, a printhead, to apply ink (3.28) on a substrate (3.62)
3.32
integrated ink cartridge
cartridge that includes at least: an ink containment part (3.15) and an ink deposition mechanism (3.30)
3.33
landfilled
waste disposal in a landfill or other non-reuse, -recycle, -remanufacture, -waste to energy, or
-incineration depository, excluding the residuals from waste to energy (3.68) and incineration (3.27)
4 © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
3.34
life cycle
consecutive and interlinked stages of a product system, from raw material acquisition or generation
from natural resources to final disposition
Note 1 to entry: See ISO 14040.
3.35
lifetime attribute
cartridge performance attribute (3.45) which can only be measured by printing to cartridge end-of-life
(3.9) according to an ISO/IEC 29142 standardized or specified test method
3.36
material safety data sheet
MSDS
safety data sheet
SDS
form containing safety information about the ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) contained in cartridges designed
for use in printing applications which includes physical, chemical, and toxicological properties,
regulatory information, and recommendations to ensure safe handling
3.37
multi-chamber ink cartridge
ink cartridge (3.29) that is designed to contain two or more inks
3.38
multi-function printer
MFP
printer (3.51) with an operating part to apply ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) on a substrate (3.62), and also
providing additional functions such as fax and copy
3.39
non-colourant ink
material designed for liquid state deposition on a substrate (3.62), such as gloss optimizers and fixatives,
not containing a colourant
3.40
non-colourant toner
solid material, not containing colourant, capable of taking on an electrostatic charge, designed for
deposition on a substrate (3.62) under the control of electrostatic forces in conjunction with a surface
having a controlled distributed charge such as gloss optimizers and fixatives
3.41
non-original cartridge
cartridge that is marketed by a company other than the company that markets the printing system for
which the cartridge is intended
3.42
original cartridge
cartridge that is marketed by the company that markets the printing system for which the cartridge is
intended
3.43
original equipment manufacturer
company that markets a printing system
3.44
page-attribute value
value of a performance point attribute (3.50) that is the value of that attribute evaluated from a complete
single printed page
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved 5
3.45
performance attribute
attribute which can be determined only through printing with the cartridge(s) installed in an
operational printer (3.51)
3.46
photo printer
printer (3.51) with an operating part to apply ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) on a substrate (3.62), with the
functionality to print images on photo paper sizes and types
3.47
photoreceptor part
photoconductor
physical mechanism, such as OPC, that includes a surface that accepts a uniform electrostatic charge,
with a surface that can subsequently be selectively discharged by exposure to light, and which facilitates
transfer of toner (3.64) to media after such exposure
3.48
physical attribute
attribute which can be determined directly from the cartridge and which is independent of print
systems
3.49
pigment ink
material designed for liquid-state deposition on a substrate (3.62), including a chemical pigment
colourant
3.50
point attribute
performance attribute which can be measured on pages printed at any point during the life of the
cartridge
3.51
printer
device intended to apply colourant(s) to a substrate (3.62) in response to a digital signal
3.52
recovery
process to divert cartridges and/or cartridge materials from the solid waste stream and into productive
uses
3.53
recycle
reuse (3.58), remanufacture (3.56) or otherwise divert from a solid waste stream
3.54
refill
operation to replace ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) in a customer’s cartridge that does not involve the
replacement or refurbishing of worn cartridge components
3.55
refiller
cartridge supplier (3.13) that refills (3.54) customer’s cartridges
3.56
remanufacture
operation to replace or clean components and add ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) using cartridges from
cartridge take-back (3.63) or collection programs
6 © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
3.57
remanufacturer
cartridge supplier (3.13) that produces or markets remanufactured (3.56) cartridges
3.58
reuse
operation in which a whole or a component part of a cartridge is incorporated in the manufacture or
remanufacture (3.56) of a cartridge, such that the whole or component part is intended to be put into
service for the same purpose for which it was conceived
3.59
single chamber ink cartridge
ink cartridge (3.29) that is designed to contain one ink
3.60
single function printer
SFP
printer (3.51) with an operating part to apply ink (3.28) or toner (3.64) on a substrate (3.62), having no
additional functions such as fax or scan
3.61
standard error goal
allowed upper limit of the error in page-attribute value (3.44) measurements, determined as the upper
limit of the standard error of the estimated mean of the measurements
3.62
substrate
user selectable imageable surfaces
EXAMPLE Paper, cloth.
3.63
take-back
programs sponsored by cartridge suppliers (3.13) and conducted by cartridge collectors (3.7) for the
purpose of obtaining cartridges after cartridge end-of-life (3.9)
3.64
toner
solid material, capable of taking on an electrostatic charge, designed for deposition on a substrate (3.62)
under the control of electrostatic forces in conjunction with a surface having a controlled distributed
charge
3.65
toner cartridge
user replaceable unit (3.67) of a printing system that includes at least a containing mechanism designed
for toner (3.64) intended for deposition on a substrate (3.62)
3.66
toner deposition mechanism
imaging apparatus for depositing toner (3.64) on a printing substrate (3.62)
EXAMPLE A surface having a controlled distributed charge.
3.67
user replaceable unit
part of a printing system that is designed to be removed and replaced by a user
3.68
waste to energy
form of recovery (3.52) in which the energy generated from incineration (3.27) is captured and used as
energy
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved 7
4 Requirements
The framework explained in this document shall not be used directly for comparison of products.
For a comparison using test-method standards compliant with the framework of this document, the
minimum requirement is that the conditions for measuring parameters, as well as the entire test
conditions explained in such compliant standards are required to be in agreement.
5 Structure of the ISO/IEC 29142 series
5.1 Data reporting
This document establishes the product and package labelling requirements, and related reporting
requirements for toner and ink cartridges used in printing devices that have a digital input printing
path, including multi-function devices.
Cartridge-characterization tests standardized or specified in the ISO/IEC 29142 series to be compliant
with this document, and environmental standards compliant with ISO/IEC 29142-3, shall adhere to
the labelling, notification and reporting specifications in ISO/IEC 29142-2. For conformance with the
ISO/IEC 29142 series, according to ISO/IEC 29142-2, four levels of labelling, notification and reporting
are established:
— a cartridge label,
— a cartridge notification,
— a customer report,
— a cartridge-attribute test report.
Customer and cartridge-attribute test reports from ink and toner cartridge-attribute characterization
testing shall include results from the test performed directly on each printing system that shall be
claimed in the cartridge reporting.
The provisions for traceability between these notification and reporting levels and the related
cartridges are specified.
Processes applied after cartridge end-of-life can include recycling cartridges for new cartridges and
other new uses, such as in the manufacture of non-cartridge products, refill of cartridges, recovery of
cartridges, and remanufacture of cartridges for another usage cycle. Taken together, these processes
can result in directing materials from cartridges so that the materials are diverted from the solid waste
stream.
Achieving minimal waste after cartridge end-of-life requires that cartridge suppliers, manufacturers,
remanufacturers, cartridge collectors, and users conduct each stage of the cartridge life cycle in a
manner consistent with this objective. The requirements of ISO/IEC 29142-2 specify information to be
provided by cartridge suppliers, and cartridge collectors so that users are enabled to conduct the use
stage of the cartridge life cycle in a manner consistent with diverting cartridge materials from the solid
waste stream after cartridge end-of-life.
5.2 Environmental
This document establishes a framework of environmental provisions, distinct from the cartridge-
characterization framework of this document, for environmental standards for toner and ink cartridges
used in printing devices that have a digital input printing path, including multi-function devices.
ISO/IEC 29142-3 harmonizes aspects of selected environmental standards, reporting forms such
as material safety data sheets that provide customers with health and safety information, and eco-
labels pertaining to toner and ink cartridges, to establish requirements for uniform measurable
8 © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
environmental, health and safety provisions that inform and benefit the user regarding potential
environmental impacts throughout the product life cycle.
Provisions selected in ISO/IEC 29142-3 are included to support these objectives:
a) minimization of environmental impact throughout the cartridge life cycle,
b) minimization of environmental impact associated with end-of-life processes.
Legal requirements and customer expectations are considered associated with material use,
manufacturing operations, packaging, and/or end-of-life processes.
ISO/IEC 29142-3 provides the following:
— the terms and definitions related to cartridge environmental attributes (Clause 3 and Annex A),
— cartridge environmental attributes for inclusion in environmental labels, standards and green
procurement criteria,
— test methods that manufacturers, test laboratories, etc., use to determine values for the defined
cartridge environmental attributes,
— methods for determination of declared values from the test results,
— methods for declaration of conformance to provisions that do not require measurement.
5.3 Toner and ink cartridge characterization
Parts of the ISO/IEC 29142 series specify cartridge-characterization test methods that evaluate
attributes of toner and ink cartridges used in printing devices that have a digital input printing path,
including multi-function devices. These cartridge-characterization test methods pertain to cartridges
for equipment used in office environments.
The ISO/IEC 29142 series defining cartridge-characterization test methods is required to comply with
the framework for cartridge characterization defined in this document. The framework requires robust,
repeatable, objective measurements and testing procedures that include specification of the test timing
relative to cartridge lifetime, and specification of test operating conditions such as temperature and
humidity. The print-related attributes tested in ISO/IEC 29142 cartridge-characterization test methods
are specified with respect to selected paper properties and values.
ISO/IEC 29142 cartridge-characterization test methods do not pertain to characterization testing of
toner or ink cartridges for printers whose minimum printable output size is equal to or greater than
A3 (420 mm x 297 mm) or to toner or ink cartridges sold only for photo-only printers. The particular
test methods include additional constraints to limit their applicability to subsets of cartridges or to
particular types of cartridges.
ISO/IEC 29142 cartridge-characterization test methods are required to be specified in accordance with
the terms, symbols, notations and framework of this document and shall be declared and reported as
specified in ISO/IEC 29142-2.
6 Framework overview for cartridge characterization
6.1 Elements of a print system
In the context of digital information systems, a printing system contains at least the following
operational functionalities:
— computational functionality,
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved 9
— converts the general form of the digital source content to the information layout of the required
print output,
— converts the digital source colour information to the encoding values of the printing system
colourant(s),
— determines the spatial distribution of the one or more deposition materials, including the one or
more colourant(s),
— control and hardware functionality,
— applies the deposition material(s) to the substrate,
— affixes the deposition material(s) to the substrate.
The computational functional operations are implemented in a variety of ways, including implementation
in a single component with the control and hardware functionality, or implementation distributed over
several components that are not co-located with the actual material deposition and fixing functionality.
Cartridges and the deposition materials they contain are used by the control and hardware functionality
of a printing system and have significant impact on that portion of any printing system. In addition,
certain aspects of cartridges and the deposition material(s) they contain are considered in the operation
of the computational functionality.
6.2 Cartridge configurations
Ink and toner cartridges can be implemented in a variety of functional configurations. For the purpose
of the ISO/IEC 29142 series, a cartridge is a user-replaceable unit operating with a printing system that
includes at least a containment part for toner or ink. Within this overarching definition, three functional
configurations of toner cartridges and two functional configurations of ink cartridges are defined in
the ISO/IEC 29142 series.
Toner cartridge functional configurations are:
a) single-part toner cartridge: a toner cartridge that includes only a toner containment part,
b) two-part toner cartridge: a toner cartridge that includes a toner containment part and a developer
part and does not include a photoreceptor part,
c) all-in-one toner cartridge: a toner cartridge that includes a toner containment part and a developer
part and a photoreceptor part.
Ink cartridge functional configurations are:
a) single part ink cartridge: a cartridge that includes only an ink containment part,
b) integrated ink cartridge: a cartridge that includes an ink containment part and an ink deposition
mechanism.
Each of the ink and toner cartridge functional configurations contains one or more deposition
materials, ink or toner, colourant or non-colourant, for use in a printing system. For example, a single
multi-chamber ink cartridge contains more than one ink.
The provisions of ISO/IEC 29142-3 and cartridge-characterization test methods of the ISO/IEC 29142
series are structured to apply equally to these functional and multi-chamber cartridge configurations.
6.3 Performance attributes measured on a printed page
Cartridges are intrinsically involved in depositing ink or toner on the substrate in use in a printing
system. Because of this, certain cartridge attributes are characterized using measurements of printed
pages. Although cartridge performance is recognized as critical to print quality, traditional print
quality attributes are not measured in cartridge characterization due to the interaction of the entire
10 © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
print system in delivering these print quality results. The cartridge-characterization framework of
this document provides for selective cartridge characterization, with the selected characteristics
emphasizing the cartridge performance over that of the general print system.
Each cartridge attribute characterized by means of a printed page test method should be chosen after
satisfying the following criteria:
a) the attribute is noticeable to users,
b) the attribute can be measured using standardized objective methods,
c) across the various cartridge configurations, the attribute is 50 % or more due to processes and
parts that directly apply the deposition material to the substrate,
d) the attribute is testable using a rigorous and statistically valid test method.
6.4 Physical attributes
The cartridge-characterization framework of the ISO/IEC 29142 series provides test methodology
requirements applicable to selective characterization of physical attributes, independent of print
systems.
NOTE The environmental, health, and safety provisions of ISO/IEC 29142-3 address the physical attributes
of cartridges, fundamentally involving the cartridge materials.
7 Attribute framework for testing and characterizing cartridges
7.1 Overview
The cartridge-characterization framework of this document draws a distinction between physical
attributes and performance attributes of cartridges. Physical attributes are those that can be evaluated
directly from the cartridge without inserting the cartridge into a printer. For example, the material of a
cartridge is a physical attribute. Performance attributes, by contrast, are those determined through the
interaction of the cartridge with a printer.
Cartridge performance attributes fall broadly into two categories. The first is lifetime attributes. These
by their nature are reflective of the performance over cartridge life. The most obvious of this type
is cartridge yield, which can only be measured by running cartridges in printers until the cartridge
reaches cartridge end-of-life according to an ISO/IEC standardized cartridge yield test method. The
second category is point attributes, which can be evaluated at any single test point while running
cartridges. An example of this type is an attribute of print on a specific page or within a specific region
on a page that has been printed using the cartridge.
Cartridge performance attributes shall not include page-attribute value assessments of absolute
colourant colour values, with the understanding that such an assessment weighs heavily toward the
colourant design rather than the cartridge itself.
Any attribute can also be categorized as either discrete or continuous according to the definitions in
Clause 3. Discrete attributes can have only a limited number of values. For example, an attribute that
can only be quantified using a qualitative scale (such as poor, fair, good, very good, etc.) is discrete.
Binomial attributes are the limiting special case of discrete attributes, with only 2 possible values, such
as yes or no, pass or fail, present or absent, 0 or 1, etc. For example, cartridge part breakage during a life
test could be categorized as a binomial attribute. If a part breaks during the test, then the value of the
attribute for the cartridge in which it broke is “Yes.” If no part breaks, then the value is “No.”
By contrast, a continuous attribute is one that can take on any value within a range. For example, a print
attribute of a page as measured with a device such as a spectrophotometer is typically a continuous
attribute.
© ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved 11
The understanding of continuous and discrete attribute types is a necessary step in determining how to
statistically model variation in attribute values. Data points from continuous attributes can be modelled
with familiar continuous distributions such as the normal, log-normal, or Student-t distributions.
Discrete attributes are appropriately modelled using binomial, Poisson, geometric, or a large number of
other distributions. Under certain restricted conditions it is acceptable to use continuous distributions
to model discrete attributes.
There is much less information content in discrete attributes than in continuous attributes so in general
they are less desirable for use in characterizing performance.
Cartridge characterizations according to this document shall allow the following attribute types.
a) Continuous attributes measured with objective instruments such as spectrophotometers which
can provide at least 10 different values for each sample within the range of interest.
NOTE The values of a continuous variable are generally broken down to discrete levels based on
the resolution of the instrument being used for measurement. Nonetheless, there is value in using the
simplifying assumption that such data streams are continuous rather than discrete so that tools such as
t-tests or confidence bounds based on normal distributions can be used. On the other hand, treatment as a
continuous attribute is not appropriate for attributes that have only a limited number of values.
b) Discrete attributes which are objective in nature and which have a range of possible values of 10
or more and, therefore, can be modelled as continuous. Attributes of this type include page counts
for determination of cartridge yield. For the purposes of this document, such attributes shall
be considered continuous attributes so that their variation can be modelled using continuous
distribution approximations. Discussions pertaining to modelling continuous attributes in
subsequent sections also pertain to discrete attributes meeting these specified conditions.
c) Binomial attributes, these are of some interest and therefore methods are included for treating
them. However, the sample sizes are increased to compensate for the poor information content in
these types of attributes.
This document does not include methods for characterizing cartridges with subjective, multi-level
grading systems (e.g. poor, fair, good, very good, etc.).
The attribute types that can be characterized in accordance with this document are illustrated in
Figure 1.
Figure 1 — Attribute categories
Any test method constructed according to this cartridge-characterization framework to evaluate
performance attributes shall require running multiple cartridges on multiple printers, with the
cartridges ran in each printer to the cartridge life percent completion point or points required in the test
12 © ISO/IEC 2021 – All rights reserved
method. The use of an appropriate number of cartridges and printers in such tests enables a statistical
evaluation of results, including determination of the mean response and statistical confidence bounds
for both the mean and individ
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