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News Release from: Xerox | Subject: E-Agent
Edited by the Printingtalk Editorial
Team on 23 May 2006
Chemical Agent Reduces Xerox Printers
Energy Use
Xerox's E-Agent - or embrittling agent - is a chemical ingredient that is claimed to reduce the amount of energy needed by certain Xerox printer toners by up to 22 per cent.
Xerox's E-Agent - or embrittling agent - is a chemical ingredient that is claimed to reduce the amount of energy needed by certain Xerox printer toners by up to 22 per cent As a result, Xerox believes it is on the way to saving more than 30 million kilowatt hours of electricity by 2008 - enough power to light more than 24,000 households for a year - and making strides toward its goal to cut global greenhouse gas emissions
This article was originally published on Printingtalk on 18 Mar 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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John R Laing, senior vice president for Xerox Supplies Delivery Unit, said: "The manufacturing of supplies, especially toner manufacturing, is amongst the most energy-intensive activities within Xerox.
With continuing innovations like E-Agent, we're helping Xerox not only reduce costs but also contribute to a cleaner environment." Xerox said it is the inventor and world's largest manufacturer of toner, producing it at eight locations worldwide.
Toner is the 'dry ink' powder fused on paper to make laser prints and copies.
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In the conventional toner manufacturing process, large particles of plastics, colourants and other additives are mechanically pulverised in to small, relatively uniform toner particles.
It takes about 50 of these toner particles to print a full stop on a page.
According to Xerox, the grinding process is the most energy-intensive step, consuming up to 40 per cent of the total energy used for making toner.
The grinding happens when toner particles are blown against each other at high speeds inside a chamber, and the collisions cause the particles to split apart.
Xerox engineers knew that if the toner particles were easier to grind then the whole process would be more energy efficient.
They discovered that by adding the embrittling agent to the toner recipe, particles would be more likely to shatter upon contact and reach the desired particle size more quickly.
Depending on the product family, E-Agent makes the grinding rate up to twice as fast, it is claimed.
The patented E-Agent process has been successfully implemented in toner for some Xerox products - such as the Xerox Docuprint and Docutech families of digital presses and printers - and is in the process of being tested for others.
The company said by 2008, the energy savings associated with Xerox's use of E-Agent is expected to avoid over 18,000 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions - the equivalent of saving the annual emissions from over 2,500 cars.
"We believe this 'secret agent' will be one of the success stories that helps Xerox achieve its greenhouse gas reduction goals," Laing said.
Xerox has pledged to cut greenhouse gas emissions - the compounds in the atmosphere thought to trigger global climate change - from its worldwide operations by 10 per cent over a 10-year period.
Xerox's emissions result from using fossil fuels and buying electricity for power.
To meet its target, Xerox is working to improve energy efficiency by 30 per cent compared to 2002 levels, throughout its global operations.
Xerox's pledge is consistent with its long-standing commitment to the protection of the environment and the health and safety of its employees, customers and neighbours.
The company has received environmental awards worldwide, and it said it has pioneered conservation and protective environmental policies well in advance of governmental regulations.
In addition to developments such as E-Agent, Xerox said it continues to develop more energy-efficient processes, products and technologies to help both the company and its customers meet their environmental objectives.
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