Epson Releases New Versions of ColorWorks C6000/C6500 Series Printer

Epson has announced a new product upgrade that customers need to be aware of. Epson will be discontinuing the four current models of the C6000 printer series and will be unveiling a new spinoff for each. The C6000A/C6000P and C6500A/C6500P will still exist, but they will now be split into two versions for each model. This effectively replaces the old singular printer model and now offers them in either a matte or gloss variant. As a result, the previous four C6000A/C6500P series printers will now become eight, with each original model having two new versions. Please keep in mind that if you want to print matte and gloss, you will need to purchase both printers.

Surprisingly, there isn’t going to be a change in the prices, despite the new upgrade. The release of these rebranded printers will help Epson widen its color label printing horizon and satisfy the market demand.

The ColorWork C6000 and C6500 Color Label Printers are the first series of printers from Epson that were introduced to improve the black and white thermal transfer printers. They are designed to be efficient and when required can be used in various sectors like manufacturing, logistics, chemical, food, etc.

The ColorWork Series printers are versatile and they can be used for any creative project. They can print any labels, from small labels used on small bottles to large labels for big chemicals drums. The newly introduced matte black ink also allows users to create clearly defined black text, images, and barcodes on plain paper or matte label media. As a result, the printers are also suitable for warehouse or shipping labels.

The matte black inks are long-lasting pigment-based inks. They produce a darker black image on a matte medium and a well-detailed image on a plain medium.

When the matte ink was compared with the gloss ink, it produced a darker or richer image on the plain paper, matte paper, textured paper and coated matte synthetic.

What benefits does The New Matte Black Ink Cartridges Provide?

  1. It produces a more vibrant image: The matte black ink differs from the gloss ink in the pigment particles’ size. Matte ink has bigger-sized particles which stick closer to a matte surface and produce a bright and detailed image.
  2. It produces an image with a better density: The matte black ink provides a high-quality image because it produces better density.
  3. The matte black ink is the best choice for any media that is to be printed on matte. It produces a richer and much darker image.

How do you know the right printer and ink to use?

If your printing process will always or even sometimes involve glossy materials, it is advised that you choose a gloss ink and a gloss printer. The big pigment particles of the matte ink do not bond well to glossy surfaces. As a result, it causes insufficient drying and permanence when used instead of the gloss ink. 

If all the media you will print on is matte, then the matte printer and ink are the most appropriate. Glossy ink pigments are extremely small, unlike the large particles of matte ink, and thus, they settle deeply into matte surfaces. Consequently, the images produced appear to be a bit muted.

How to Initialize the Printer

Before you start the printer initialization process, decide on the ink and printer model that is the most appropriate for your application. The initialization setting is a permanent one. So, when you choose a particular ink during the initialization, whether gloss or matte black ink, it is impossible for you to alter the settings.

For people who have existing printers before the release of these new printers, you can only request an exchange if your existing printer has not initialized, ink charged, or been taken out of the box. You can contact your printer distributor and request an exchange.

The gloss and matte black ink cartridges are designed so that if a wrong ink is installed in the printer, it will display an error message. This is so to avoid errors from the users.

To initialize your printer and set it to use matte ink, follow these procedures when you turn the printer on for the first time.

  1. Choose the ink type from the pop-up. Since you are setting your printer to use matte ink, check the matte type.
  2. Next, select the OK option from the next pop-up to confirm your ink selection.
  3. Then, start initializing. You will be instructed not to power off the printer or open the printer covers while the initialization process is ongoing. The process should take approximately 18 minutes.
  4. You should see the ink type displayed on the front panel now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What ink type supports a wide range of applications?

A1: The gloss black ink is suitable for several types of media. From plain papers to high-gloss papers, it produces a good quality image.

Q2: Can I place an order for the printer?

A2: Yes, you can place an order for your desired printer model and specify the kind of ink you want. It is also advised that you order an extra set of ink and maintenance box, alongside the printer. This is because a reasonably large amount of ink is used during the printer’s initialization process.

Q3: How can I be sure that I got a matte ink and not a gloss ink when the printer is delivered? A3: There is a separate compartment outside the printer’s box referred to as the “doggy box.” This is where the ink – whether matte or gloss, is kept. The doggy box is kept separate from the printer box’s remaining content to allow the customers to check for the ink they are purchasing.