Printers

Unit objective: Identify printing processes, and install

and maintain printers

Topic A

Topic A: Imaging processes Topic B: Printer installation Topic C: Printer maintenance

An inkjet printer Ink dispersion Forces ink through nozzles Nozzles are 50 to 60 microns in

diameter Two methods:

– Thermal bubble– Piezoelectric bubble

Inkjet process

Thermal bubble technology Piezoelectric technology Ink cartridges

Inkjet cartridge print heads

Print head part of cartridge New ink cartridge = new print head Makes cartridge more expensive

Inkjet print quality

Standards– Laser printer for text– Darkroom photographs for graphics

Affected by:– Resolution (dpi) of printer– Quality of paper– Quality of ink if printed page gets wet

Calibration Dithering, also known as half-tones

Straight-through paper path

Curved paper path

Photo printers

Good print quality Quality not quite as good as that of

chemically produced prints Use special photo paper Some printers allow you to print

CD/DVD labels

Printing onto a CD

Laser printer

Standard of quality for other printer types High-quality, high-volume Black-and-white, and color Dropping in price

– Consumables can cost as much as printer

Laser printer components

Laser scanning assembly Toner cartridge Power supplies Paper control and transport assembly Transfer corona assembly Fusing assembly Electronic control package

Laser printing process

continued

Laser printing process, continued

1. Cleaning and erasing

2. Charging or conditioning

3. Writing or exposing

4. Developing

5. Transferring

6. Fusing

Note: Some sources place the cleaning and erasing stage at the beginning of the process. Others place it at the end of the process. In either case, it prepares the drum for receiving and printing the next image.

Dot-matrix printer

Can print multipart forms Slow and noisy compared to other

printer types Impact printer

– Use mechanical means to press ink onto a page

Near letter quality (NLQ)

Dot-matrix printer connections

Serial Parallel Rare network interface Some have both serial and parallel

Other impact printers

Daisy wheel Band printer

Other printer types

Thermal– Thermal wax transfer– Direct thermal

Solid-ink Dye sublimation Plotters

Topic B

Topic A: Imaging processes Topic B: Printer installation Topic C: Printer maintenance

Inkjet printer installation

Most local printers connect via USB Windows autodetects and installs

drivers Can install additional software from

manufacturer

Ink-level monitoring utility

Printer interfaces

USB Parallel SCSI Serial Wired or wireless Ethernet network

connections

Inkjet communications interfaces

Parallel interface USB interface

Configure the connection type

Parallel — Specify the correct LPT port– Usually LPT1

Serial — Specify the correct COM port– Usually COM2– COM1 used for modem

Port identified for the printer

Installing an inkjet printer

1. Connect the printer to a computer, using the correct interface

2. Plug the printer in

3. Power it up

4. Windows will probably recognize the new device and install drivers for it

5. If drivers aren’t installed automatically, do it manually with materials that shipped with the printer

Upgrading a device driver

Use Device Manager utility Follow prompts in wizard or use printer

installation file Configure options for best

performance

Laser printer setup

Unpack from packaging Remove all packaging materials and

tape Install toner cartridge

– Remove tape insert from toner– Rock from side to side

Might need to install drum or other components

Printer interfaces

USB Parallel Serial IEEE 1394/FireWire SCSI Wired or wireless Ethernet network

Communications interfaces

USB interface

Parallel interface

Installing a laser printer

1. Connect the printer to the network or a computer, using the correct interface

2. Plug the printer in

3. Power it up

4. Windows will probably recognize the new device and install drivers for it

5. If drivers aren’t installed automatically, do it manually with the materials that shipped with the printer

Installing a network printer in Windows 7

1. In Windows 7, open Devices and Printers

2. Click Add a printer

3. Click Add a network, wireless or Bluetooth printer

4. Select the desired printer and click Next, or click The printer that I want isn’t listed

5. If prompted, click Install driver

6. Enter a name for the printer and click Next

7. If desired, set as the default printer and print a test page

8. Click Finish

Topic C

Topic A: Imaging processes Topic B: Printer installation Topic C: Printer maintenance

Printer maintenance Follow manufacturer’s guidelines Common tools

– Cleaning solutions and sprays (isopropyl alcohol, denatured alcohol)

– Cleaning equipment (soft cloths, cotton swabs)– Lubricants– Compressed air– Toner vacuums and toner rags or extension

magnet brushes– Screwdrivers (to open compartments)– Chip puller

Safety Consumables

Inkjet printer maintenance

Change low ink cartridges Use recommended supplies Clean print nozzles and recalibrate printer Adjust ink output calibration for color

matching Proper ventilation Remove dust Test page Calibrate ink output for color matching if

available Set up with proper ventilation

Laser printer maintenance

Scheduled maintenance and unscheduled service calls

Routine maintenance– Replace toner cartridges– Clean and lubricate components– Replace components (parts-life counters)– Check and update firmware– Remove accumulated toner– Maintain adequate ventilation– Test page

Follow safety precautions handling toner and around high-voltage power supplies

Thermal printer maintenance

Clean heating element Remove debris Replace paper

Impact printer maintenance

Compressed air to blow out paper, dirt, and debris

Mild household cleaners on exterior Rubbing alcohol to clean roller Use ESD precautions and remove

neckties, watches, and jewelry; pull back and secure hair

Unit summary

Identified printing processes, and installed and maintained printers