A laser printer is a type of printer that used non-impact laser beams to print documents. IBM manufactured the first laser computer in 1975, but Hewlett-Packard modified its technology in 1984. Businesses used the printers to print black and white documents, but there is an increased use lately following the increased developments on their quality and improvements on the colour laser printer. The busiest offices and workgroups that have a high printing volume prefer using the laser printers due to their high speed, durability, and excellent paper handling.
How a Laser Printer Operates
Laser printers use the photocopies technologies with the only difference being that the printers use the electronic data sent from a computer. When a document reaches the printers system, a laser beam uses electrical charges to draw the document on the surface of a selenium coated photoreceptor drum. The drum is rolled on the positively charged toner particles (a dry powder of ink) after charging it with both the negative and positive charges. The particles stick only to the areas with a negative charge leaving the positively charged areas blank. The transfer of the toner to a paper takes place under heat and pressure. After the printing is complete, the printer system removes the electrical charge and collects the toner.
Common Types of Laser Printers
Laser printers come in different models depending on their function and the features that they hold. Some of the popular types of laser printers include:
1) Personal and Office Laser Printers
The personal printers fit on the desk together with other computer equipment. Their speed stands at around four papers per minute (P.P.M), and they can hold around 100 sheets of paper. The office printers, on the other hand, are larger than personal computers with a speed range of between 8-12 P.P.M. The printer holds approximately 250 sheets of paper, which is ideal for a single person or a small group of users.
2) Black and White versus Color Laser Printers
The black and white printers come with a little cost during purchase and performance too. The users, however, require getting a black toner instead of a colored one. They have a printing speed of up to 40 PPM although the rate varies from one printer to another. A colored laser printer, on the other hand, has a higher cost compared to the black and white one. The top speed of the colored printers stands at 40 PPM although their printing speed may be slower than that of monochrome printers.
3) Wireless Laser Printer
The printers use WI-FI, Ethernet, Bluetooth, or infrared that connects it to the computer. The computer and the printers need to be in closer proximity for them to function efficiently. Newer wireless laser printers also offer mobile printing support where you can print from your Android and iOS smart phone, Apples iPhone, or iPad.