An inkjet printer works by spraying extremely small droplets of ink through nozzles onto paper to create an image. There are two main types of inkjet printers - thermal bubble printers that use heat to create ink bubbles and piezoelectric printers that use vibrations. When printing, the printer receives data from a computer, moves an print head assembly back and forth across the page while spraying ink droplets precisely, and advances the paper to print the entire image. Inkjet printers are inexpensive but manufacturers make their profits from ink cartridge sales.
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The printer is a computer peripheral that accepts text and graphics as input and prints them on paper. There are four main types of printers: impact, inkjet, laser, and plotters. Impact printers such as dot matrix printers work by striking pins against an ink ribbon to print characters. Inkjet printers spray ink through nozzles onto paper. Laser printers use static electricity and toner to transfer an image onto paper. Plotters are large printers used for technical drawings.
The document describes a smart quill, an intelligent pen invented by Lyndsay Williams that can digitize handwritten notes. It works by using an accelerometer and microprocessor to record the pen's movements as it writes and translate that into computer text. The smart quill is larger than a normal pen and contains components like an LCD, battery, and buttons to allow notes taken with it to be viewed, edited, or transferred to a computer for storage and sharing. Unlike a digital pen, the smart quill does not require a special notepad to function and can recognize handwriting on any flat surface.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, is a process where a 3D model is sliced into layers and material is deposited layer by layer to build a physical object. There are three main methods - selective laser sintering uses a laser to sinter powdered material, stereolithography uses a UV laser to cure liquid resin layer by layer, and fused deposition modeling extrudes melted plastic through a nozzle to build layers. Common materials used include ABS, PLA, and nylon. 3D printing produces little waste and can be used to make replacement parts, though the machines can be expensive and materials may not be strong enough.
The document discusses several common printing processes: photocopying/xerography, offset lithography, flexography, gravure, and screenprinting. For each process, it describes the basic steps, common applications, advantages, and disadvantages. Photocopying involves transferring an image onto paper using static electricity and light. Offset lithography uses inked plates to transfer images onto a rubber cylinder and then paper. Flexography is used for packaging and uses inked flexible plates to print. Gravure etching involves engraving images onto cylinders and filling the etched areas with ink. Screenprinting uses screens with blocked images to push ink onto fabrics or paper.
3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, involves building 3D objects from a digital file by laying down successive layers of material. There are several technologies used for 3D printing including stereolithography, selective laser sintering, multi-jet modeling, and inkjet 3D printing. 3D printing allows for rapid prototyping, reduces development costs, and increases customization. Applications of 3D printing include design prototyping, education, and healthcare.
This document provides an overview of 3D printing technology. It discusses what 3D printing is, how the process works by creating a virtual design and then layering materials, and some common methods and technologies used like selective laser sintering and fused deposition modeling. Applications mentioned include rapid prototyping to save time and costs as well as personal printing. The document also notes the industry is growing and will change manufacturing and commerce, while challenges include costs, limited materials per machine, standard file formats, and printing speed.
This document provides an overview of 3D printing and additive manufacturing. It discusses the core technologies used in additive manufacturing, including extrusion deposition, granular material binding, photopolymerization, and lamination. It describes how additive manufacturing works by building 3D objects layer by layer from a digital file. The document highlights applications in industries like automotive, aerospace, medical, and more. It also discusses advantages like reduced waste and materials usage compared to traditional manufacturing.
This document discusses 3D printing and additive manufacturing. It describes subtractive manufacturing and casting/forming as traditional manufacturing methods that remove or shape materials, whereas additive manufacturing builds objects up layer by layer from materials like plastic, metal or ceramic powders. Specific additive methods covered include selective laser sintering, stereo lithography, fused deposition modeling, and laminated object manufacturing. The document outlines the benefits of 3D printing such as reduced waste, complex designs, and customization, but also notes potential intellectual property and misuse concerns.
Dot matrix printers use pins to strike an ink ribbon and transfer ink to paper, forming characters and images from arrangements of dots. They provide low-cost printing but also low resolution and quality. Laser printers use heat and pressure to bond toner particles to paper in the pattern of an image formed by a laser beam scanning a photosensitive drum. They offer higher quality printing than inkjet printers. Printers can be categorized as either impact printers that use a mechanism to transfer ink, like dot matrix, or non-impact printers like inkjet and laser that use other ink transfer methods.
Thermal printers use a thermal head with heated pins to directly melt and transfer colored wax from a ribbon onto heat-sensitive paper, forming characters and images without using ink. The printer contains a thermal head to generate heat, a rubber roller to feed the paper, and a spring to apply pressure on the thermal head. It has advantages of a long life due to few moving parts and no cost for ink or toner, but disadvantages include the higher cost of the specialized thermal paper and need to store it at room temperature.
1) A flatbed scanner works by using a glass scanning surface where objects are placed. It scans images as a series of dots using rotating lamps with colored filters and a CCD sensor to generate a digitized image file.
2) When scanning, the CCD sensor moves across the glass platen to read the image as dots. Software then converts this into an electronic code that can be understood by the computer.
3) Flatbed scanners allow scanning of documents without bending them and can scan a variety of paper types and qualities as well as larger documents than sheet-fed scanners. Their glass surface risks scratching over time however.
The document discusses the history and working of digital cameras. It explains that digital cameras trace their origins to inventions like the camera obscura in ancient times and developments in photography in the 18th-19th centuries. A key development was the invention of the first digital camera by Steve Sasson in 1975. The document then describes the basic components and working of digital cameras, including how light is focused onto sensors using lenses, how sensors convert light into digital signals, and how these signals are processed and stored as digital images. It also discusses different types of digital cameras and image sensors like CCD and CMOS.
Printers are external hardware devices that take computer data and generate a hard copy. There are two main types: impact printers, which physically strike the paper, and non-impact printers, which create images without touching the paper. Dot-matrix printers are an older impact printer that forms images with an array of pins and is inexpensive but noisy with low print quality. Inkjet printers are popular non-impact printers that work by firing tiny droplets of ink and provide higher quality color output, while laser printers use a dry powder toner and an electrostatic process to produce very high quality black and white pages at a lower cost-per-page than inkjet printers.
This document discusses different types of printers. It begins by defining a printer as an output device that produces text and graphics on paper. It then describes the main types of printers: dot matrix, inkjet, and laser printers. Dot matrix printers use pins to create dots, inkjet printers propel liquid ink droplets, and laser printers use toner and a rotating drum. The document also mentions criteria for considering which printer to use, such as technology, speed, cost, and image quality.
This document provides an overview of 3D printing. It discusses the history of 3D printing, how 3D printing works by building objects layer by layer, and common 3D printing processes like fused deposition modeling, selective laser sintering, and stereolithography. The document also outlines advantages such as reducing waste and allowing for testing of designs before production. Limitations include the costs of materials and equipment as well as speed. Applications of 3D printing span various fields like art, music, engineering, automotive, and medicine. In conclusion, 3D printing offers benefits of time, cost, and resource savings for manufacturing.
The document discusses 3D printing and additive manufacturing. It defines 3D printing as a process that uses additive manufacturing to create 3D objects from a digital file by laying down successive layers of material. The document outlines several 3D printing methods like selective laser sintering, stereolithography, and fused deposition modeling. It also discusses applications of 3D printing like prototyping and challenges like intellectual property issues.
Bits are the basic units of information in computing, representing values of 0 or 1. Bytes consist of 8 bits bundled together, allowing 256 possible values. Computer components like memory and storage are measured using multiples of bytes like kilobytes and megabytes. Binary numbers use bits like decimal numbers use digits, with each place value representing increasing powers of two rather than ten. Bytes are commonly used to represent text characters through encoding schemes like ASCII.
The document explains how domain name servers (DNS) work by translating human-readable domain names to machine-readable IP addresses. It discusses that DNS is a distributed database system with millions of name servers around the world administered by different organizations. When a domain name needs to be resolved to an IP address, the local name server is first queried, and if it doesn't have the answer, it will query other name servers in a recursive manner until the IP address is found.
This document provides an introduction to programming in Java by walking through how to set up a Java development environment and write a simple "Hello World" style program. It begins by outlining the assumptions and requirements, then guides the reader through downloading and installing the Java compiler. Next, it teaches some basic terminology and has the reader write, compile, and run a simple program that draws a diagonal line. The document explains what the program is doing line-by-line and encourages experimentation. It discusses where to find documentation on methods and classes to continue learning.
A CGI program is any program designed to accept and return data that conforms to the CGI specification. The program could be written in any programming language, including C, Perl, Java, or Visual Basic.
Mice translate hand motion into signals the computer understands using five main components: a ball that rolls when the mouse moves, rollers that detect motion, an encoding disk with holes, infrared LEDs and sensors that count pulses of light, and a processor chip. Modern optical mice use a camera to take 1500 pictures per second and detect pattern movement to determine cursor movement. Mice send data through connectors like PS/2 using a protocol that reports button states, direction of movement, and movement values in bytes sent 40 times per second.
CDs store large amounts of digital data by encoding it as microscopic bumps arranged in a continuous spiral track on the disc. A CD player precisely reads these bumps using a laser beam that detects changes in reflectivity. It tracks along the spiral from the inside to outside of the disc while adjusting the rotation speed to keep the data rate constant. Complex error-correcting encoding schemes are used to ensure reliable reading despite defects or errors.
CD burners allow users to record music and data files onto blank CDs. A CD burner uses a laser to burn tiny bumps onto the surface of a CD-R or CD-RW disc, encoding digital information. The laser moves outward from the center as the disc spins, burning a spiral track of data. CD-R discs can only be written to once, while CD-RW discs allow rewriting by erasing and rewriting sections through heating the disc material. Precise encoding and error-correction methods ensure the data can be read reliably on other players.
Modem = modulator + demodulator.
A modem is a device or program that enables a computer to transmit data over, for example, telephone or cable lines. Computer information is stored digitally, whereas information transmitted over telephone lines is transmitted in the form of analog waves.
Banner ads are small rectangular advertisements that appear on web pages. When clicked, they link to an advertiser's website. They are usually simple HTML code that displays graphics and text. Advertisers hope users will click through to their site or remember their brand. Banner ad effectiveness is measured by click-throughs, page views, click-through rate, and cost per sale. Basic banner ads can be made by anyone, while professional designers offer more creative and attention-grabbing ads for a fee.
Biometrics are automated methods of recognizing a person based on a physiological or behavioral characteristic. Among the features measured are face, fingerprints, hand geometry, handwriting, iris, retinal, vein, and voice. Biometric data are separate and distinct from personal information.
This document provides an overview of how computer monitors work. It discusses the basics of display technology, including CRT vs LCD displays. When purchasing a monitor, factors to consider include display technology, resolution, refresh rate, color depth, aspect ratio, and power consumption. CRT displays were once dominant but are being replaced by thinner, less power-intensive LCD displays. The document provides details on concepts like dot pitch, aspect ratio, and how resolution is determined by factors like refresh rate and pixel density.
The document summarizes how 3D PC glasses work to provide a 3D viewing experience of games on a 2D monitor. It explains that the glasses block alternating views to each eye very quickly, tricking the brain into perceiving depth. Modern 3D glasses use LCD technology to block each eye's view synchronously with the images displayed, producing crystal clear 3D. The technology has advanced through several generations from modifying games to using graphics cards to handle the dual image processing. When buying glasses, compatibility with your graphics card and monitor type should be checked.
This document discusses printers and scanners. It defines printers as output devices and describes different types of printers including laser printers, inkjet printers, and dot matrix printers. It also discusses factors to consider when choosing a printer and how to install and share a printer. The document then defines scanners as input devices and describes types of scanners like flatbed scanners and barcode scanners. It also discusses optical character recognition and mark recognition devices.
Impact printers work by physically striking an ink ribbon to transfer characters to paper while non-impact printers like inkjet and laser printers avoid physical contact. Dot matrix printers use rows of pins to form characters as ink is transferred to paper. Laser printers use toner powder and heat to fuse characters onto paper at high speeds. The type of printer chosen depends on factors such as output volume, quality needs, location, and whether color or copies are required.
This document discusses different types of printers and their components and functions. It begins by distinguishing between impact printers, which use mechanical parts to print, and non-impact printers, which print without striking the paper. It then focuses on inkjet printers, describing their print heads, ink cartridges, stepper motors, and paper feeding systems. Specific components like nozzles and stepper motors are also defined. The printing processes for inkjet and laser printers are outlined in multiple stages. Applications of inkjet and laser printers in different fields are also mentioned.
This document discusses different types of printers and their components and functions. It begins by distinguishing between impact printers, which use mechanical parts to print, and non-impact printers, which print without striking the paper. It then focuses on inkjet printers, describing their main components like the print head with nozzles that spray ink droplets, ink cartridges, and stepper motor. Laser printers are also summarized, explaining how they use a laser beam to attract toner powder to the page to print. The printing process for both inkjet and laser printers is outlined in multiple steps.
Printer and its types.... Their working and the functionality of each printer.... how they work and what is the process by which the printer prints the data on the paper/sheet
Inkjet printers work by spraying tiny droplets of ink onto paper through nozzles. They contain a print head with nozzles, ink cartridges, and mechanisms to move paper and the print head. Thermal inkjet printers heat ink to vaporize droplets for printing. Piezoelectric printers use piezo crystals to flex and push ink droplets out. Inkjet printers offer low cost, high quality color printing but replacement cartridges can be expensive and speed lags laser printers.
The printer is a computer peripheral that accepts text and graphics as input and prints them on paper. There are four main types of printers: impact, inkjet, laser, and plotters. Impact printers such as dot matrix printers work by striking pins against an ink ribbon to print characters. Inkjet printers spray ink through nozzles onto paper. Laser printers use static electricity and toner to transfer an image onto paper. Plotters are large printers used for technical drawings.
This document provides an overview of different printer technologies. It discusses the basic principles of laser printers and inkjet printers. Laser printers use static electricity to transfer toner powder to paper to create the printed image, while inkjet printers use thermal bubble or piezoelectric mechanisms to spray ink droplets. The document also describes various printer components like photoreceptors, toner, and fusers, and how they work together in the printing process.
Vansh Raj Solanki is requesting a presentation on printers for class VII A. The document then summarizes different types of printers including dot matrix printers, which use pins to print individual characters; daisy wheel printers, which use print wheels resembling daisies to produce typewriter-quality text; line printers, which can print entire lines at once; drum printers, which use rotating drums coated with characters; and chain printers, which use rotating chains coated with characters. It also discusses non-impact printers such as inkjet printers, which spray ink droplets onto paper, and laser printers, which use laser beams to transfer toner onto paper.
There are two main types of printers: impact printers and non-impact printers. Impact printers work by physically striking an inked ribbon against the paper, and include dot-matrix, daisy wheel, drum, chain, and band printers. Non-impact printers do not physically strike the paper, and include inkjet printers which spray ink onto paper, and laser printers which use a laser beam to attract toner onto the paper to form images. Dot matrix printers use print heads with pins that form characters by striking individual dots, while laser printers use a laser beam and toner to efficiently print high quality pages at speeds up to 437 pages per minute.
This document provides an overview of different types of printers. It begins by discussing the history of printing, including the invention of electrophotography in 1938 and the first high-speed printer for computers in 1953. The document then defines printers and categorizes them as either impact or non-impact. Specific impact printers discussed include dot matrix, daisy wheel, and thermal printers. Non-impact printers covered are inkjet, laser, multi-function, and 3D printers. The document concludes by emphasizing the importance of printers for utilizing computer resources.
Dot matrix, inkjet, and laser printers are the three main types of printers. Dot matrix printers work by using pins to impact ink onto paper in a dot matrix pattern, producing lower quality text-only output. Inkjet printers spray tiny droplets of ink through nozzles onto paper to produce higher quality color or black and white output. Laser printers use a laser beam to electrically charge a drum, which is then coated with toner to create the printed image, producing very high quality text and graphics output. Each type has advantages and disadvantages related to cost, speed, quality, noise, and durability.
The document discusses different types of printers including inkjet printers, laser printers, dot matrix printers, and daisy wheel printers. It describes the basic operation of each type of printer, their advantages and disadvantages, and provides a brief history of printer development. Key points covered include how dot matrix printers form characters using pins, the laser scanning and toner transfer process used in laser printers, and that inkjet and laser printers now produce higher quality output than earlier printer technologies.
A printer is an external output device that takes data from a computer and generates output in the form of graphics/text on a paper.
There are two types of printers.
Impact printers
Non-Impact printers
The document discusses various types of computer output devices. It describes printers such as dot matrix, inkjet, and laser printers. It also mentions plotters, computer output microfilm, monitors, voice response systems, and projectors. It provides details on the functioning and use of different printers and how they produce hard and soft copy output.
The document compares and contrasts laser printers and inkjet printers. It discusses how each type of printer works, including the printing processes of heating ink droplets in inkjet printers and using photoconductive toner and lasers in laser printers. The advantages and disadvantages of each type are analyzed, such as lower costs but less efficient ink use for inkjet printers, and faster printing but higher startup costs for laser printers. In conclusion, the document states that laser printers are generally best for high-volume printing in businesses, while inkjet printers are more commonly used in homes and for occasional printing due to their lower costs.
There are several types of printers that are commonly used, each with their own advantages. Dot matrix printers are inexpensive but produce lower quality output and print slowly. Inkjet printers provide higher quality output at moderate speeds and costs. Laser printers are faster than other types and provide the highest quality but are also the most expensive. Multi-function printers combine printing, scanning, copying and faxing into a single device, saving space and costs compared to separate devices.
This document provides an overview of different types of printers and plotters. It discusses the basic functions and workings of common printer types like inkjet printers, laser printers, and dot matrix printers. It also covers special printers like photo printers, portable printers, and dye sublimation printers. The document concludes by defining plotters and describing the three main types: drum plotters, flatbed plotters, and inkjet plotters.
Printers convert electronic documents into physical form by transferring text and graphics onto paper. There are two main categories of printers: impact printers that use mechanisms like pins to strike ink onto paper, and non-impact printers that use other methods like inkjet or laser printing. When evaluating printers, considerations include image quality, speed, initial cost, and operating costs of supplies. Common printer types include dot matrix, inkjet, and laser printers that vary in performance and cost. Plotters are specialized printers used for vector graphics that work by moving pens across paper.
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Profiling of Cafe Business in Talavera, Nueva Ecija: A Basis for Development ...IJAEMSJORNAL
This study aimed to profile the coffee shops in Talavera, Nueva Ecija, to develop a standardized checklist for aspiring entrepreneurs. The researchers surveyed 10 coffee shop owners in the municipality of Talavera. Through surveys, the researchers delved into the Owner's Demographic, Business details, Financial Requirements, and other requirements needed to consider starting up a coffee shop. Furthermore, through accurate analysis, the data obtained from the coffee shop owners are arranged to derive key insights. By analyzing this data, the study identifies best practices associated with start-up coffee shops’ profitability in Talavera. These findings were translated into a standardized checklist outlining essential procedures including the lists of equipment needed, financial requirements, and the Traditional and Social Media Marketing techniques. This standardized checklist served as a valuable tool for aspiring and existing coffee shop owners in Talavera, streamlining operations, ensuring consistency, and contributing to business success.
Exploring Deep Learning Models for Image Recognition: A Comparative Reviewsipij
Image recognition, which comes under Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a critical aspect of computer vision,
enabling computers or other computing devices to identify and categorize objects within images. Among
numerous fields of life, food processing is an important area, in which image processing plays a vital role,
both for producers and consumers. This study focuses on the binary classification of strawberries, where
images are sorted into one of two categories. We Utilized a dataset of strawberry images for this study; we
aim to determine the effectiveness of different models in identifying whether an image contains
strawberries. This research has practical applications in fields such as agriculture and quality control. We
compared various popular deep learning models, including MobileNetV2, Convolutional Neural Networks
(CNN), and DenseNet121, for binary classification of strawberry images. The accuracy achieved by
MobileNetV2 is 96.7%, CNN is 99.8%, and DenseNet121 is 93.6%. Through rigorous testing and analysis,
our results demonstrate that CNN outperforms the other models in this task. In the future, the deep
learning models can be evaluated on a richer and larger number of images (datasets) for better/improved
results.
A vernier caliper is a precision instrument used to measure dimensions with high accuracy. It can measure internal and external dimensions, as well as depths.
Here is a detailed description of its parts and how to use it.
An Internet Protocol address (IP address) is a logical numeric address that is assigned to every single computer, printer, switch, router, tablets, smartphones or any other device that is part of a TCP/IP-based network.
Types of IP address-
Dynamic means "constantly changing “ .dynamic IP addresses aren't more powerful, but they can change.
Static means staying the same. Static. Stand. Stable. Yes, static IP addresses don't change.
Most IP addresses assigned today by Internet Service Providers are dynamic IP addresses. It's more cost effective for the ISP and you.
A brief introduction to quadcopter (drone) working. It provides an overview of flight stability, dynamics, general control system block diagram, and the electronic hardware.
How to Manage Internal Notes in Odoo 17 POSCeline George
In this slide, we'll explore how to leverage internal notes within Odoo 17 POS to enhance communication and streamline operations. Internal notes provide a platform for staff to exchange crucial information regarding orders, customers, or specific tasks, all while remaining invisible to the customer. This fosters improved collaboration and ensures everyone on the team is on the same page.
20CDE09- INFORMATION DESIGN
UNIT I INCEPTION OF INFORMATION DESIGN
Introduction and Definition
History of Information Design
Need of Information Design
Types of Information Design
Identifying audience
Defining the audience and their needs
Inclusivity and Visual impairment
Case study.
1. How Inkjet Printers Work
by Jeff Tyson
No matter where you are reading this article from, you most likely have a printer nearby. And
there's a very good chance that it is an inkjet printer. Since their introduction in the latter half of
the 1980s, inkjet printers have grown in popularity and performance while dropping significantly in
price.
An inexpensive color inkjet printer made by Hewlett Packard
An inkjet printer is any printer that places extremely small droplets of ink onto paper to create an
image. If you ever look at a piece of paper that has come out of an inkjet printer, you know that:
• The dots are extremely small (usually between 50 and 60 microns in diameter), so small
that they are tinier than the diameter of a human hair (70 microns)!
• The dots are positioned very precisely, with resolutions of up to 1440x720 dots per inch
(dpi).
• The dots can have different colors combined together to create photo-quality images.
In this edition of HowStuffWorks, you will learn about the various parts of an inkjet printer and
how these parts work together to create an image. You will also learn about the ink cartridges and
the special paper some inkjet printers use.
First, let's take a quick look at the various printer technologies.
Impact vs. Non-impact
There are several major printer technologies available. These technologies can be broken down
into two main categories with several types in each:
• Impact - These printers have a mechanism that touches the paper in order to create an
image. There are two main impact technologies:
Dot matrix printers use a series of small pins to strike a ribbon coated with ink,
causing the ink to transfer to the paper at the point of impact.
Character printers are basically computerized typewriters. They have a ball or
series of bars with actual characters (letters and numbers) embossed on the
surface. The appropriate character is struck against the ink ribbon, transferring
the character's image to the paper. Character printers are fast and sharp for basic
2. text, but very limited for other use.
• Non-impact - These printers do not touch the paper when creating an image. Inkjet
printers are part of this group, which includes:
Inkjet printers, which are described in this article, use a series of nozzles to spray
drops of ink directly on the paper.
Laser printers, covered in-depth in How Laser Printers Work, use dry ink (toner),
static electricity, and heat to place and bond the ink onto the paper.
A Hewlett Packard LaserJet 4050T
Solid ink printers contain sticks of wax-like ink that are melted and applied to the
paper. The ink then hardens in place.
Dye-sublimation printers have a long roll of transparent film that resembles
sheets of red-, blue-, yellow- and gray-colored cellophane stuck together end to
end. Embedded in this film are solid dyes corresponding to the four basic colors
used in printing: cyan, magenta, yellow and black (CMYK). The print head uses a
heating element that varies in temperature, depending on the amount of a
particular color that needs to be applied. The dyes vaporize and permeate the
glossy surface of the paper before they return to solid form. The printer does a
complete pass over the paper for each of the basic colors, gradually building the
image.
Thermal wax printers are something of a hybrid of dye-sublimation and solid ink
technologies. They use a ribbon with alternating CMYK color bands. The ribbon
passes in front of a print head that has a series of tiny heated pins. The pins
cause the wax to melt and adhere to the paper, where it hardens in place.
Thermal autochrome printers have the color in the paper instead of in the
printer. There are three layers (cyan, magenta and yellow) in the paper, and each
layer is activated by the application of a specific amount of heat. The print head
has a heating element that can vary in temperature. The print head passes over
the paper three times, providing the appropriate temperature for each color layer
as needed.
3. Out of all of these incredible technologies, inkjet printers are by far the most popular. In fact, the
only technology that comes close today is laser printers.
So, let's take a closer look at what's inside an inkjet printer.
Inside an Inkjet Printer
Parts of a typical inkjet printer include:
• Print head assembly
Print head - The core of an inkjet printer, the print head contains a series of
nozzles that are used to spray drops of ink.
The print head assembly
Ink cartridges - Depending on the manufacturer and model of the printer, ink
cartridges come in various combinations, such as separate black and color
cartridges, color and black in a single cartridge or even a cartridge for each ink
color. The cartridges of some inkjet printers include the print head itself.
Print head stepper motor - A stepper motor moves the print head assembly
(print head and ink cartridges) back and forth across the paper. Some printers
have another stepper motor to park the print head assembly when the printer is
not in use. Parking means that the print head assembly is restricted from
accidentally moving, like a parking brake on a car.
4. Stepper motors like this one control the movement of most
parts of an inkjet printer.
Belt - A belt is used to attach the print head assembly to the stepper motor.
Stabilizer bar - The print head assembly uses a stabilizer bar to ensure that
movement is precise and controlled.
5. Here you can see the stabilizer bar and belt.
• Paper feed assembly
Paper tray/feeder - Most inkjet printers have a tray that you load the paper into.
Some printers dispense with the standard tray for a feeder instead. The feeder
typically snaps open at an angle on the back of the printer, allowing you to place
paper in it. Feeders generally do not hold as much paper as a traditional paper
tray.
Rollers - A set of rollers pull the paper in from the tray or feeder and advance the
paper when the print head assembly is ready for another pass.
The rollers move the paper through the printer.
Paper feed stepper motor - This stepper motor powers the rollers to move the
paper in the exact increment needed to ensure a continuous image is printed.
• Power supply - While earlier printers often had an external transformer, most printers
sold today use a standard power supply that is incorporated into the printer itself.
• Control circuitry - A small but sophisticated amount of circuitry is built into the printer to
control all the mechanical aspects of operation, as well as decode the information sent to
the printer from the computer.
6. The mechanical operation of the printer is controlled by a
small circuit board containing a microprocessor and memory.
• Interface port(s) - The parallel port is still used by many printers, but most newer printers
use the USB port. A few printers connect using a serial port or small computer system
interface (SCSI) port.
While USB taking over, many printers still use a parallel port.
Heat vs. Vibration
Different types of inkjet printers form their droplets of ink in different ways. There are two main
inkjet technologies currently used by printer manufacturers:
7. View of the nozzles on a thermal bubble inkjet
print head
• Thermal bubble - Used by manufacturers such as Canon and Hewlett Packard, this
method is commonly referred to as bubble jet. In a thermal inkjet printer, tiny resistors
create heat, and this heat vaporizes ink to create a bubble. As the bubble expands, some
of the ink is pushed out of a nozzle onto the paper. When the bubble "pops" (collapses), a
vacuum is created. This pulls more ink into the print head from the cartridge. A typical
bubble jet print head has 300 or 600 tiny nozzles, and all of them can fire a droplet
simultaneously.
Click the button to see how a thermal bubble inkjet printer works.
• Piezoelectric - Patented by Epson, this technology uses piezo crystals. A crystal is
located at the back of the ink reservoir of each nozzle. The crystal receives a tiny electric
charge that causes it to vibrate. When the crystal vibrates inward, it forces a tiny amount
of ink out of the nozzle. When it vibrates out, it pulls some more ink into the reservoir to
replace the ink sprayed out.
8. Click on the button to see how a piezoelectric inkjet printer works.
Let's walk through the printing process to see just what happens.
Click "OK" to Print
When you click on a button to print, there is a sequence of events that take place:
1. The software application you are using sends the data to be printed to the printer driver.
2. The driver translates the data into a format that the printer can understand and checks to
see that the printer is online and available to print.
3. The data is sent by the driver from the computer to the printer via the connection interface
(parallel, USB, etc.).
4. The printer receives the data from the computer. It stores a certain amount of data in a
buffer. The buffer can range from 512 KB random access memory (RAM) to 16 MB RAM,
depending on the model. Buffers are useful because they allow the computer to finish
with the printing process quickly, instead of having to wait for the actual page to print. A
large buffer can hold a complex document or several basic documents.
5. If the printer has been idle for a period of time, it will normally go through a short clean
cycle to make sure that the print head(s) are clean. Once the clean cycle is complete, the
printer is ready to begin printing.
6. The control circuitry activates the paper feed stepper motor. This engages the rollers,
which feed a sheet of paper from the paper tray/feeder into the printer. A small trigger
mechanism in the tray/feeder is depressed when there is paper in the tray or feeder. If the
trigger is not depressed, the printer lights up the "Out of Paper" LED and sends an alert to
the computer.
7. Once the paper is fed into the printer and positioned at the start of the page, the print
head stepper motor uses the belt to move the print head assembly across the page. The
motor pauses for the merest fraction of a second each time that the print head sprays
dots of ink on the page and then moves a tiny bit before stopping again. This stepping
happens so fast that it seems like a continuous motion.
8. Multiple dots are made at each stop. It sprays the CMYK colors in precise amounts to
make any other color imaginable.
9. At the end of each complete pass, the paper feed stepper motor advances the paper a
fraction of an inch. Depending on the inkjet model, the print head is reset to the beginning
side of the page, or, in most cases, simply reverses direction and begins to move back
across the page as it prints.
10. This process continues until the page is printed. The time it takes to print a page can vary
widely from printer to printer. It will also vary based on the complexity of the page and
9. size of any images on the page. For example, a printer may be able to print 16 pages per
minute (PPM) of black text but take a couple of minutes to print one, full-color, page-
sized image.
11. Once the printing is complete, the print head is parked. The paper feed stepper motor
spins the rollers to finish pushing the completed page into the output tray. Most printers
today use inks that are very fast-drying, so that you can immediately pick up the sheet
without smudging it.
In the next section, you will learn a little more about the ink cartridges and the paper used.
Paper and Ink
Inkjet printers are fairly inexpensive. They cost less than a typical black-and-white laser printer,
and much less than a color laser printer. In fact, quite a few of the manufacturers sell some of
their printers at a loss. Quite often, you can find the printer on sale for less than you would pay for
a set of the ink cartridges!
Why would they do this? Because they count on the supplies
you purchase to provide their profit. This is very similar to the
way the video game business works. The hardware is sold at or
below cost. Once you buy a particular brand of hardware, then
you must buy the other products that work with that hardware.
In other words, you can't buy a printer from Manufacturer A and
ink cartridges from Manufacturer B. They will not work together.
Another way that they have
reduced costs is by
incorporating much of the
actual print head into the cartridge itself. The
manufacturers believe that since the print head is the part of
the printer that is most likely to wear out, replacing it every
time you replace the cartridge increases the life of the
printer.
The paper you use on an inkjet printer greatly determines
the quality of the image. Standard copier paper works, but
doesn't provide as crisp and bright an image as paper made
for an inkjet printer. There are two main factors that affect
image quality:
• Brightness
• Absorption
The brightness of a paper is normally determined by how rough the surface of the paper is. A
course or rough paper will scatter light in several directions, whereas a smooth paper will reflect
more of the light back in the same direction. This makes the paper appear brighter, which in turn
makes any image on the paper appear brighter. You can see this yourself by comparing a photo
in a newspaper with a photo in a magazine. The smooth paper of the magazine page reflects light
back to your eye much better than the rough texture of the newspaper. Any paper that is listed as
being bright is generally a smoother-than-normal paper.
The other key factor in image quality is absorption. When the ink is sprayed onto the paper, it
should stay in a tight, symmetrical dot. The ink should not be absorbed too much into the paper. If
that happens, the dot will begin to feather. This means that it will spread out in an irregular
fashion to cover a slightly larger area than the printer expects it to. The result is an page that
looks somewhat fuzzy, particularly at the edges of objects and text.
This printer sells for
less than $100.
A typical color ink cartridge:
This cartridge has cyan,
magenta and yellow inks in
separate reservoirs.
10. Imagine that the dot on the left is on coated paper and the dot
on the right is on low-grade copier paper. Notice how
irregular and larger the right dot is compared to the left one.
As stated, feathering is caused by the paper absorbing the ink. To combat this, high-quality inkjet
paper is coated with a waxy film that keeps the ink on the surface of the paper. Coated paper
normally yields a dramatically better print than other paper. The low absorption of coated paper is
key to the high resolution capabilities of many of today's inkjet printers. For example, a typical
Epson inkjet printer can print at a resolution of up to 720x720 dpi on standard paper. With coated
paper, the resolution increases to 1440x720 dpi. The reason is that the printer can actually shift
the paper slightly and add a second row of dots for every normal row, knowing that the image will
not feather and cause the dots to blur together.
Inkjet printers are capable of printing on a variety of media. Commercial inkjet printers sometimes
spray directly on an item like the label on a beer bottle. For consumer use, there are a number of
specialty papers, ranging from adhesive-backed labels or stickers to business cards and
brochures. You can even get iron-on transfers that allow you to create an image and put it on a T-
shirt! One thing is for certain, inkjet printers definitely provide an easy and affordable way to
unleash your creativity.
Refilling Cartridges
Because of the expense of inkjet cartridges, a huge business has
grown around the idea of refilling them. For most people, refilling
makes good sense, but there are a few things to be aware of:
• Make sure the refill kit is for your printer model. As you
learned in the previous section, different printers use
different technologies for putting the ink on the paper. If
the wrong type of ink is used, it can degrade the output or
possibly damage the printer. While some commercial
inkjets use oil-based inks, virtually all desktop inkjets for
home or office use have water-based ink. The exact ink
composition varies greatly between manufacturers. For
example, thermal bubble inkjets need ink that is stable at
higher temperatures then piezoelectric printers.
• Most manufacturers require that you use only their
approved ink. Refill kits normally will void your warranty.
• While you can refill cartridges, be very careful of the ones
that have the print head built into the cartridge. You do not
want to refill these more than two or three times, or the
print head will begin to deteriorate and could damage your
printer.
Check out this site for some good links and information about
inkjet refills.
For more information on inkjet printers and related topics, check out the links on the next page.