Today's ink jet printers work so efficiently and with so little effort that it is easy to take them for granted. Typically, the consumer selects the ink jet that suits them best, connects a power source, attaches a feed to their PC slides in the appropriate cartridges, fills the paper supply and is good-to-go, correctly expecting a first-rate printed document right from the start. It wasn't always that simple. There is no disputing the enormous strides made in development of the Ink Jet printer and those amazing Ink Jet cartridges over the last 30 years.

As soon as the Siemens drop-on-demand printers hit the scene in 1977, there was no questioning the marketability of the product. Commitments by research and development departments at Canon, Hewlett Packard and Epson would soon spell the end of erratic and cumbersome dot matrix printers. The ink jet was destined to make printing a commonplace occurrence that would allow every PC to enhance the workplace, household or play experience.

The original challenges were great. Establishing the consistent flow of ink from printer head to paper, effectively storing the ink, overcoming clogging tendencies and the manufacturing of this treasured product at a reasonable cost were just some of the obstacles facing early stage ink jet designers. The Hewlett Packard Ink Jet released in 1989, cost $1,000 and could hardly be considered a nominal household acquisition.

While the popularization of the Ink Jet Printer erupted on the scene in the late 80's, there was still much work to do. Canon and HP promoted typical drop-on-demand ink jets while Epson moved ahead with their proprietary "piezo-electric" technology. The original Siemens printers had sprayed ink where needed and, as such, were slow to print and slow to dry. The emergence of the new technologies specifically addressed the flow of ink to the paper and propelled the Ink Jet to the fore of viable printing options.

HP and Canon initiated the use of thermal technology to release the ink from the printer head onto the paper. Epson used its "piezo-electric" to accomplish the same effect. When HP came out with its DeskJet printer in 1988, the race for quality and competitive pricing was on. Initially, these ink jets were more expensive than the Siemens models but were easy to use, fast to dry and simple to connect.

As production stabilized and demand increased, production costs came under control. It was clear that a mass market existed for a well produced printer. As prices fell, the challenge focused on a system to further improve and control the distribution of the ink to the page. The development of the cartridge became key to the success and future of the ink jet.

The electrically controlled release of ink as originally provided by Epson and adapted by IBM was largely ineffective. Thermal release applications resulted in dried and clogged ink and consumers voiced frustration. Canon and Hewlett Packard revolutionized the printer industry by developing liquid ink stored in cartridges. The success of these cartridges drove the market and continues to keep the prices down, the printing consistent and the color sharp as PC's now serve so many varied uses.

While every home based PC and many business PC's are connected to ink jet printers, the development of state-of-the-art cartridges is the most significant printing component. The progress of the ink jet cartridge has resulted in the emergence of a whole new supply industry where emphasis is on efficient delivery systems, competitive pricing and environmentally friendly recycling capabilities. Ink Jet printers and cartridges have become essential to maximizing the use of broad based byproducts like digital cameras, and today's colorful bulk printing applications. Every time today's consumer changes a cartridge, they should realize the advances that little plastic container represents. Ink Jet Printing and those trusty cartridges have come a long way and the printed document is the beneficiary.