What is the purpose of the ink absorber pad and why does it cause a 5b00 error?

The ink absorber pad, also known as a waste ink pad or maintenance box, is a sponge-like material within the printer that collects excess ink. This ink is expelled during automatic print head cleaning cycles, which are essential for maintaining print quality. When the printer's internal counter detects that the pad has absorbed a predetermined amount of ink, it triggers the 5b00 error to signal that the pad needs attention, either by replacement or by resetting the counter.