ink cartridges

An ink cartridge is a replaceable component of an ink-jet printer that contains the ink (and sometimes the print-head itself) that is spread on paper during printing. Each ink cartridge contains one or more partitioned ink reservoirs; certain manufacturers also add electronic contacts and a chip that communicates with the printer. Typically, two separate cartridges are inserted into a printer: one containing black ink and one with each of the three primary colors. Alternatively, each primary color may have a dedicated cartridge. Some cartridges are specifically designed for printing photographs. All printer suppliers produce their own type of ink cartridges. Cartridges for different printers may be incompatible - either physically or electrically. Since replacement cartridges from the original manufacturer of the printer are often very expensive, some other manufacturers produce "compatible" cartridges as cheaper alternatives. China's supplier base annually produces 25％ of the world's supply of printer ink cartridges. And that figure is forecast to further grow, spurred by surging demand for printing equipment and desktop printing applications.