3.7 Given a scenario, install & replace printer consumables Flashcards
What happens in the laser printer’s Processing stage?
(This is the 1st step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Formatter board converts data to a bitmap in memory
This is used for printing
The formatter board is a circuit board that handles the processing of print data. It converts the data sent from the computer into a format the printer can understand
What happens in the laser printer’s Charging stage?
(This is the 2nd step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Primary Charge Roller (PCR) prepares the imaging drum
The PCR is a metal roller covered with rubber that is powered by a high voltage supply. It applies a consistent negative electrical charge of -600V across the surface of the drum
What happens in the laser printer’s exposing stage?
(This is the 3rd step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Laser light neutralizes the drum’s charge to form the image
This process results in a pattern of charged and uncharged dots on the drum, forming an electrostatic image of the document to be printed.
What happens in the laser printer’s developing stage?
(This is the 4th step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Toner is applied to the exposed drum areas
The photosensitive drum is a cylindrical drum coated with a material that becomes conductive when exposed to light. It creates a latent image by selectively holding toner on charged areas, which is then transferred to paper during printing.
What is the laser printer’s laser toner?
Powder to create text & images on paper
4 components included within a laser printer’s toner cartridge?
- Imaging drum
- Primary Charge Roller (PCR)
- Developer roller
- Toner hopper
What happens in the laser printer’s transferring stage?
(This is the 5th step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Toner is moved from the drum onto the paper
When paper reaches the registration roller, signaling starts the image development process. Paper passes between the imaging drum and the transfer roller, attracting toner. Exiting the transfer assembly, a static eliminator strip removes remaining charge to prevent sticking or curling in the fuser unit.
Purpose of the laser printer’s pickup components?
i.e. pickup roller, separation pad, feed roller, separation roller
Start the paper feed process
What does the laser printer’s pickup roller do?
Lifts a sheet from the tray
What does the laser printer’s feed & separation roller assembly include?
Rollers that move the paper into the printer
It ensures only 1 sheet is fed at a time by separating the top sheet from the rest of the stack
How do automatic trays differ from manual trays in laser printers?
Use rollers to pick up paper automatically
Laser printers may have manual &/or automatic trays
How do manual trays differ from automatic trays in laser printers?
Uses a separation pad for paper feeding
Laser printers may have manual &/or automatic trays
This typically requires manual intervention to insert paper into the printer
What happens in the laser printer’s Fusing stage?
(This is the 6th step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Paper passes into the fuser assembly
The fuser unit melts toner onto paper by pressing it between a hot metal roller, containing a heat lamp, and a silicon rubber pressure roller. The heat roller has a Teflon coating to prevent toner adhesion.
What happens in the laser printer’s Cleaning stage?
(This is the 7th step of laser printer’s imaging process)
Photosensitive drum is cleaned
This removes any remaining particles with a cleaning blade, roller, or brush on the drum’s surface. Residual electrical charge is eliminated with a discharge lamp or the PCR.
How many times are the early stages of the laser printer cycle repeated for one page?
2-4 times, depending on the size of the paper
This is due to the circumference of the drum, which is smaller than a sheet of paper
What does a laser printer’s duplexing assembly do?
Flips paper
If theres no duplexing assembly, the paper is sent out via exit rollers
Without an auto duplex unit, users can manually flip the paper stack. In manual duplex mode, the printer pauses after printing the first side of each sheet. Users must then return the printed pages to the same input paper tray without changing their orientation. They can then resume the print job.
How can a laser printer’s toner cartridge be optimized?
By gently rocking it from front-to-back
How many toner cartridges do color laser printers usually have?
4
Each for the different colors
To replace a toner cartridge, open the service panel, remove old cartridge, & insert new cartridge
How should a laser printer’s exterior be cleaned?
Using damp cloth
What can be used to wipe dust & toner away from a laser printer?
Soft cloth or a toner-safe vacuum
Why shouldn’t a compressed air blaster be used to clean a laser printer?
You risk blowing toner dust into the room, creating a health hazard
Do not use an ordinary domestic vacuum cleaner. Toner is conductie & can damage the motor. Toner is also so fine that it’ll pass through the dust collection bag & back into the room
What to do if toner is spilled on skin or clothes?
Wash it off with cold water
Using hot water can open the pores of your skin & allow toner particles to penetrate more easily
How should a laser printer’s rollers & electronic contacts be cleaned?
With IPA & non-scratch, lint-free, swabs
IPA = Isopropyl Alcohol Solution
Take care not to scratch a roller
What does a laser printer’s maintenance kit include?
Replacement feed rollers, transfer rollers, & fuser unit
Replacement of the maintenance kit is prompted by the printer’s internal page count. When the printer reaches the specified count, it will display a “Maintenance Kit Replace” message on its status indicator.
What is printer calibration?
Process that determines how much toner to use
Most printers calibrate themselves automatically. If print output is not as expected, you can often invoke the calibration routine from the printer’s control panel or its software driver
Tradeoff with inkjet printers?
Cheap to buy but expensive to run
i.e. costly consumables like ink cartrides & high-grade paper
Why are inkjet printers less common than laser printers for office use?
They’re slower & often noisier
With the exception for low-volume, good-quality color printing
How do inkjet printers work?
by spraying droplets of ink onto paper
This produces high-quality images, especially on treated paper. However, the prints can smear & fade.
2 types of inkjet print heads?
- Piezoelectric
- Thermal
How do Piezoelectric inkjet print heads work?
Uses electric charges to push ink out
How do thermal inkjet print heads work?
Uses heat to create ink bubbles that burst & spray ink
What Inkjet printer brand uses Piezolectric print heads?
Epson
These companies often license their technology to other vendors.
What Inkjet printer brand uses Thermal print heads?
- HP
- Canon
- Lexmark
These companies often license their technology to other vendors.
What is the tradeoff With thermal laser printer print heads?
Cheaper but have a short lifespan
This is due to the heating elements
How do inkjet printers build up an image?
Line by line
How does an inkjet printer’s print head move back & forth over a paper?
Via carriage system
The carriage system is the mechanism that holds and moves the print head and ink cartridges back and forth across the paper during printing
What is the Platen Gap in inkjet printers?
Distance between print head & paper
It can be adjusted to allow for thicker paper or media. Adjustment can be manual (via lever) or automatic (based on settings in the printer driver)
Should interior of inkjet printers be cleaned?
No
You’re likely to do harm for no real benefit
The outside of the printer can be cleaned using a soft, damp cloth
What do some inkjet printers integrate the print head to?
ink cartridge
So when the cartridge is replaced, so is the print head. But this isnt always the case, especially with thermal print heads
What inkjet print heads are commonly integrated into the ink cartridge?
Thermal print heads
How many ink reservoirs do color inkjets typically need?
Ink cartridges hold the ink reservoirs
Atleast 4
for CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) inks
These reservoirs can be housed in a single cartridge, or there might be separate cartridges for black & colored ink, or each ink color might have its own cartridge
What to do if an inkjet printer’s output is skewed?
Use print head alignment function to calibrate the printer
This can typically befound in the printer’s property sheet or settings menu. This ensures the print head is properly aligned with the paper, resulting in correctly positioned prints. Often, print head alignment is automatically performed when you replace the ink cartridges, but it might need to be done separately if alignment issues persist.
What to do if the inkjet printer’s print head is blocked/dirty?
Use printer’s cleaning cycle
This can be accessed through the property sheet or control panel settings. The cleaning cycle clears blockages from the print head nozzles. If this doesn’t work, manual inkjet cleaning products are available
How do thermal printers work?
Use a heating element to create the image on the paper
There are various types of thermal printers using different technologies for different purposes. The most common type you’ll likely support is the direct thermal printer. These printers, especially portable or small form factor ones, are used for high-volume barcode and label printing and for printing receipts.
What is the typical dpi for thermal printers?
200-300 dpi
Some models are able to print 1 or 2 colors. Print speeds are measured in inches per second
What happens in the thermal printer’s feed assembly?
The feed assembly refers to components that feed paper through the print mechanism
A stepper motor runs a rubber-coated roller to friction-feed paper
Paper & labels may be fanfold or roll format
2 ways to clean sticky residue in thermal printers?
- Swab with cleaning fluid
- Cleaning cards
An appropriate cleaning fluid is IPA. Cleaning cards safely clean the print head & remove residue from the feed mechanism
How does an impact printer work?
Strikes an inked ribbon against paper to leave marks
What is a common type of impact printer?
Dot matrix printer
How do dot matrix printers work?
Use a column of pins in a print head to strike the ribbon
Desktop dot matrix devices are no longer widely deployed for document printing, but they’re still used for specialist functions like printing invoices or pay slips on continuous, tractor-fed paper
What mechanism pulls plain paper through an impact printer?
The moving roller (the platen)
The moving roller moves it through by friction as it rotates
Why is carbon paper used in impact printers?
aka impact paper
To make multiple copies in one pass
(hence carbon copy, or “cc”)
This would be done by inserting carbon paper between each sheet of plain paper
What is tractor-feed paper fitted with?
Perforated side strips
“perforated” means material that’s punctured with small holes/slits
These strips’ holes are fixed over studded rollers at each end of the platen, reducing the risk of skewing or slippage common with multi-part stationery.
What type of replaceable ribbon did older impact printers use?
2-spool ribbon
What type of replaceable ribbon do most modern impact printers use?
Carriage device that forms a continuous loop
This simplifies the design by moving in one direction only, eliminating the need for a reversing mechanism
What to do if the impact printer’s print quality dereases?
Replace the ribbon & holder it sits in
However, some prints are designed to allow the ribbon to be replaced separately while resuing the same cartridge
Purpose of 3-D printers?
Build solid objects from successive layers of material
What material to 3-D printers typically use?
Plastic
4 materials that 3-D printers may use?
- Plastic
- Rubber
- Carbon fiber
- Metal alloy
How does the 3D printing process start?
Scanning an object or creating a design with 3D modeling software
What happens to a 3D model before it’s printed?
(in a 3d printer)
It’s sliced into layers by software
How is a sliced model sent to a 3D printer?
Via USB, Wi-Fi, or SD card
What do 3D printers do with filament?
Melts & extrudes it layer by layer to create the object
“extrude” in this context means the printer is pushing melted filament through a nozzle to create layers of the object
What parts of a 3D printer move to create an object?
Extruder & sometimes the build bed
It moves along the X/Y/Z axes
How do FFF/FDM 3D printers work?
(FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication) (FDM = Fused Deposition Modeling) Both terms refer to the same type of 3D printer
Laying down layers of filament at high temperatures
What is a FFF/FDM 3D printer’s print bed/build plate?
(FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication) (FDM = Fused Deposition Modeling) Both terms refer to the same type of 3D printer
A heated glass plate where material is extruded
This prevent warping. It must be leveled for each print job
What is a FFF/FDM 3D printer’s bed/build surface?
(FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication) (FDM = Fused Deposition Modeling) Both terms refer to the same type of 3D printer
Sheet that holds the object in place during printing
Its meant to be removed after printing. It should matcth the filament material
What does a FFF/FDM 3D printer’s extruder do?
Draws filament & melts it in the nozzle to deposit layers
Different nozzles can be used
i
At what diameter is filament typically used by 3D printers?
1.75mm or 3mm
What material do SLA 3D printers use?
SLA = Stereolithography
Liquid plastic resin or photopolymer
How do SLA 3D printers create objects?
SLA = Stereolithography
By curing the material with an ultraviolet laser
The material would be Liquid plastic resin or photopolymer
Curing refers to the process of hardening or solidifying a meterial using heat, light, or chemicals.
What material do SLS 3D printers use?
SLS = Selective Laser Sintering
Powder
It can be plastic or metal
How do SLS 3D printers create objects?
Fusing layers of powder together via pulse laser
