HP Print Day 2013

Dec 3, 2013 11:22:28 AM

By Marlene Orr

Hewlett-Packard (HP) hosted a small group of press and analysts at its campus in Boise, Idaho in mid-November to provide a closer look at the fall product introductions, gain further insight on software solutions and participate in a behind-the-scenes look at some of HP’s LaserJet test labs.

LaserJet Printers: 200 Million Strong

In recognition of this milestone, HP has created a collection of limited-edition, commemorative HP LaserJet printers that will be on display at HP Customer Experience Centers worldwide.

The biggest news of the day: HP is shipping its 200 millionth LaserJet printer. To really grasp the significance of this, one must look at the history of the LaserJet printer. In 1984 HP introduced the first desktop LaserJet printer; five years later the one millionth unit shipped. It took 22 years for HP to reach the 100 million mark, but only another seven years to double that to 200 million.

Another key takeaway is that of those 200 million devices, HP expects that roughly 20 to 30 million are still in service in customer locations—a testament to the quality and reliability of the HP brand. To further cement the message of HP’s quality, the group was given a tour of HP’s lab operations.

HP Lab Tour: Reliability is Not an Accident

Dave Novak, LaserJet Program Manager

As BLI has long maintained, reliability is—and should be—the number one concern of buyers. HP agrees wholeheartedly, as evidenced by the herculean effort expended developing and testing products to meet very stringent standards.

As part of HP Print Day 2013, Dave Novak, LaserJet Program Manager, escorted the group through some of HP’s QA labs to show the lengths to which HP goes to assure the reliability of its products, not only prior to release to the public but also in ongoing life testing, as well as in test scenarios with hardware and software together as an ecosystem in complex, simulated customer environments. Test technicians acquire paper from all over the globe and acclimate it to different temperatures and humidity levels to simulate customer environments. In addition to papers commonly used by customers, known problem papers are also selected for testing. Multiple devices per model are tested using different usage scenarios. Image quality is monitored throughout testing, using a 5 percent page coverage pattern, as well as more detailed test targets, and specialized equipment in conjunction with HP developed software.

HP Test Lab

LaserJet devices are also tested in a dust chamber housed inside a temperature- and humidity-controlled chamber. The larger chamber simulates different climatic conditions, while the dust chamber is designed to allow HP engineers to subject the printer to the specific dust conditions typical of various regions around the world, to ensure reliable operation in even the most extreme environments. One example of an extreme environment: engineers simulate usage of the device for five years in Beijing, China, which has some of the worst air quality.

Of course, this is but a small sampling of testing that HP performs on its products. And it certainly doesn’t replace the need for third-party verification such as the testing done by BLI. Stay tuned in the coming months for lab test reports on the latest LaserJet Enterprise products currently undergoing BLI testing.