To determine cartridge service life, which information is consulted?

• A. The date stamped on the cartridge by the manufacturer.
• B. The date of installation.
• C. The date of last maintenance.
• D. The system's serial number.

Answer: (A)

The age of a cartridge is what determines its usable life, and that age is established by the date stamped by the manufacturer on the cartridge. This manufacture date marks when the unit was produced and often corresponds to a defined service life or expiry window specified by the manufacturer. Replacing or revalidating cartridges is done based on how old they are, not simply on when they were installed, because aging and material degradation proceed over time regardless of use.

The date of installation doesn’t fix the cartridge’s life since a cartridge could be manufactured long before it’s installed, and some cartridges are still within their valid life when installed. The date of last maintenance doesn’t reset or extend the cartridge’s life either, because service life is governed by the age of the unit itself and the manufacturer’s limits. The system’s serial number helps identify and trace components, but it doesn’t indicate how long the cartridge can remain in service. So you consult the date stamped by the manufacturer to determine cartridge service life.