OTC's Lightning Grease for the HP 4000 Reduces Wear and Improves Quality
Long Island City, N.Y. — Optical Technologies Corporation announced that its electrically conductive Lightning Grease
is effective when used in higher resolution cartridges, such as the HP 4000.
"Lightning Grease is an electrically conductive grease that reduces chatter when applied to mag roller contact springs,"
said Lester Cornelius, president of Optical Technologies Corp. "Lightning Grease is also extremely effective on PCR Clips in the llP,
lllSi, Series 4, WX and HP 4000 cartridges."
Lightning Grease is a product that compares favorably to OEM greases such as Hewlett-Packard's, according to
Orson Nicholson, technical sales manager for Optical Technologies. "It's a product that is widely used by a number of
remanufacturers without being widely publicized. It has a broad acceptance among seasoned remanufacturers."
The current selection of grease products is somewhat limited and confusing. "Hewlett-Packard's grease is
expensive, relatively unavailable and not widely recognized as necessary in the remanufacturing industry," Nicholson said. "Greases
that are available on the marketplace are not necessarily electrically conductive. Many are thermally conductive, and therefore
do more harm than good."
Lightning Grease provides the sophisticated manufacturer with the appropriate properties and is readily available,
according to Nicholson. "Its use is of particular value in newer cartridges, such as the HP 4000, which respond well to the
additional lubrication."
Optical Technologies' remanufacturing customers report experiencing less wear on the PCR clips and OPC
drum axles. "It has also been reported that chatter in solid black graphics is eliminated or reduced when mag roller
contacts are lubricated with Lightning Grease," Nicholson added. He noted that proper lubrication of PCR shafts will
establish uniform charging of the PCR.
Cornelius says that other benefits of Lightning Grease use include the reduction of wear on plastic parts and
an improvement in the uniformity of the electrical charge on the PCR. Cornelius recommends using Lightning Grease on OPC contact pins
and drum axles as well as the PCR and mag roller contacts.
"Wherever there is movement between two surfaces in contact with each other, there is resistance to that movement
called friction," Cornelius said. "In order to reduce wear and improve the movement, it is necessary to reduce, control or modify
the friction. Lubrication is the method by which friction is best reduced. In higher resolution printers, the increase in speed
directly affects the amount of friction and chatter. These cartridges benefit tremendously from the use of Lightning Grease."
According to Cornelius, the product is designed to improve electrical contact and minimize plastic flow and
separation of conductive particles caused by heat and friction. Lightning Grease is formulated to complete the circuit when contact
is broken or interrupted due to wear or plasticizer erosion. "Lightning Grease is well under a 100 ohm-cm," said Cornelius.
"This translates to higher conductivity than HP's conductive grease."
Optical Technologies Corporation is an industry leader in imaging supplies coatings and products. The New
York-based company sells and licenses special coating formulations to Kodak, the federal government and Fortune 500 companies.
For further information, contact OTC at 800-682-7371 or 718-729-4430 or fax 800-682-3292 or 718-729-5291.
This article originally appeared in the March 1999 issue of Recharger.