Printing Flashcards
What is an MFD?
Multi-Function Device:
Printer
Scanner
Fax
Network and phone line connections
Prints from the web
What are the 2 common printer languages?
PCL (Printer Command Language) created by Hewlett-Packard and PS (PostScript) created by Adobe. PCL printers need PCL drivers and PS printers need PS drivers.
Printer configuration settings are?
Duplex
Orientation
Tray settings (which tray to use, letterhead, etc.)
Quality
Printer securitiy
Describe Laser printers
High quality prints and high printing speeds.
Combines high voltages, lasers, charged ions, powdered ink, heat, paper
Very complex which means lots of points of failure
What are the parts of a laser printer? (6)
Imaging drum - photosensitive drum that the image is drawn onto; picks up toner and transfers to paper; can be separate from toner cartridges or integrated.
Fuser assembly - heat and pressure melts plastic toner; permanently bonding toner to paper
Transfer belt and roller - Image is transferred from all cartridges to the single belt and then the transfer roller.
Pickup rollers - Picks up paper; should be a single page at a time.
Separation pad - keeps multiple sheets not being sent through the printer at once.
Duplexing assembly - integrated or stand alone assembly that prints page, takes and flips, prints other side
Steps of a laser printer job
- Processes job
- Charges imaging drum
- Exposing - creates positive ions to drum and places image on roller
- Developping - toner sticks to drum
- Transfers toner to page
- Fuses toner to paper in fuser
- Drum is cleaned of excessive toner and all excess toner is discarded into waste toner bottle
What are the most common replacements on a laser printer?
Toner and the photosensitive drum
What is usually included in standard maintenance kits for laser printers?
Replacement feed rollers, new fuser unit, etc.
What are the characteristics of inkjet printers?
Relatively inexpensive; quite; high resolution images; ink is expensive and proprietary; clogs easily; drops ink onto paper; feed roller needs cleaned
Maintenance for inkjet printers include:
Maintaining unclogged printheads; removing some print heads/cartridges for manual cleaning; calibrating printer to align nozzles; clearing jams
Thermal printer characteristics include:
Special white paper that when heated turns black; no ink; very quiet; paper pulled through feed assembly and is heated with a full length heating element, no moving printhead;
Thermal printer maintenance includes:
Replacing paper rolls; using IPA to clean heating element (per manufacturer’s recommendations); removing debris via compressed air or damp cloth; PAPER FADES OVERTIME SO DON’T USE FOR ARCHIVAL PURPOSES
What are the impact printer’s characteristics?
Called dot-matrix; presses against a ribbon to make a mark on the paper; low cost per page; NOISY; low quality; good for carbon/multiple copies; continuous paper feed;
Describe the maintenance of a dot-matrix printer:
Single ribbon that provides needs to be replaced when low; replace printhead when it breaks as it takes lots of abuse; paper must be replaced when runs out
