PRINTERSThings you need to know

WHAT IS A PRINTER?WHAT IS A PRINTER?Although computers have made modern business increasingly paperless, many computer setups continue to incorporate printers.A printer is an external hardware (output) device responsible for taking computer data and generating a hard copy of that data. Printers are one of the most used peripherals on computers and are commonly used to print text, images, and photos.

Below is a list of all the different computer printers. Today, the most common printers used with a computer are Inkjet and Laser printers.• 3D printer

• All-in-one (AIO) printer

• Dot Matrix printer

• Inkjet printer

• Laser printer

• LED printer

• Multifunction printer (MFP)

• Plotter

• Thermal printer

Advantages of using a printer• ConvenienceOne of the key advantages of printing out material is that it

is convenient. If you need to mark it up or make notes on it, it is easy to do.

• Secure DeliveryPaper records can be anonymously delivered. Emailing

a document creates a chain that shows who sent it, when they sent it and to whom they sent it.

• Ease of ReadingFor many people, printed documents remain easier

to read. The text on a printed document is, as of 2012, sharper than the sharpest display

Disadvantages of using a printer• CostWhile there are a number of variables that

determine what it costs to print a document, the simple fact of the matter is that printing costs money. Color printing is even more expensive

• Environmental ConcernsPrinters kill trees. On average, a smaller office with 10

to 15 employees will consume enough paper to necessitate cutting down 18 trees a year. Toner and ink are made with chemicals that can cause environmental damage.

Created by Charles W. Hull in 1984, the 3D printer is a sophisticated printing device that uses a design from a digital image to produce an identical physical object using materials such as metal alloys, polymers, or plastics.

3D printers are used in many disciplines--aerospace engineering, dentistry, archaeology, biotechnology, and information systems are a few examples of industries that utilize them.

As an example, a 3D printer might be used in the field of archaeology to physically reconstruct ancient artifacts that have been damaged over time, thus eliminating the need of a mold.

Objects printed on 3d printer

Multifunction printer(MFP), AIO is short for All-In-One and is used to describe a hardware device such as an all-in-one printer that is a printer, fax, and scanner and everything you would need in one device.

All-In-One

Advantages of All-In-One devices

• Take up less desk space and room by combining multiple devices (e.g. fax, printer, scanner) into one device.

• Less cords. Since the printer and the scanner are one device the AIO only requires one power cord and usually one data (USB) cable.

DOT matrix printer

• The term DOT matrix refers to the process of placing dots to form an image; the quality of the image being determined by the dots per inch.

Inkjet printers

• The most popular printer for home computer users that prints by spraying streams of quick-drying ink on paper. The ink is stored in disposable ink cartridges, often a separate cartridge is used for each of the major colors. These colors are usually Black, Red/Magenta, Green/Cyan, and Yellow (CMYK). The picture is an example of a computer inkjet printer.

Cartridges -Black, Red/Magenta, Green/Cyan, and Yellow (CMYK)

LaserJet printer

First developed at Xerox PARC by Gary Stark weather and released in 1971, a laser printer is a printer that utilizes laser technology to print images on the paper. Laser printers are often used in corporate, school, and other environments that require print jobs to be completed quickly and in large quantities.

Cartridge in which the toner is placed

LaserJet Printer contd..• Laser printers are used in many workplaces because

they are quiet, they print a large number of sheets very quickly and they produce high quality documents. They print in the same way as photocopiers. Powdered ink, called 'Toner', is fused onto paper by heat and pressure.

• You can purchase a laser printer which prints black and white copies only or you can pick a color laser printer. Black and white versions are relatively cheap to purchase and you only need to buy black toner (which is also expensive). Color laser printers offer good quality for work such as flyers or other commercial material.

LaserJet Printers• Advantages of laser printers• High quality printouts - better

than ink-jet or dot-matrix • Fast printouts - faster than ink-

jet or dot-matrix • Prints very quietly - quieter

than ink-jet or dot-matrix • Cost per page is low - cheaper

than ink-jet or dot-matrix

• Disadvantages of laser printers• Most expensive printer type to

buy, especially colour lasers• Toner is more expensive than ink-

jet cartridges• Expensive to repair - lots of

complex equipment inside• Fairly bulky - larger than ink-jet

printers• Can't use continuous or multi-

part stationary to create carbon copies like you can with a dot-matrix printer

LED printer

LED printers are non-impact but use a light-emitting diode instead of a laser in the printhead. LED printers were originally developed by Casio and function by focusing light across the entire length of the drum, thus creating areas that are less charged, which attracts toner. The printer then transfers the toner from the drum to the paper and applies intense heat to fuse the toner to the paper.

A plotter

• A plotter is a computer hardware device much like a printer that is used for printing vector graphics. Instead of the traditional toner, plotters use a pen, pencil, marker, or other writing tool to draw a design onto paper. Though once widely used for computer-aided design, these devices have more or less been phased about by wide-format printers. Plotters are used to produce a hard copy of schematics and other similar applications.

thermal impact printer

•A thermal impact printer or electro thermal printer is a printer that uses heated pins to "burn" images onto heat-sensitive paper. These printers are commonly used in calculators and fax machines; and although they are inexpensive and print relatively fast, they produce low resolution print jobs.