HOW DOES A LASER

PRINTER WORK?

Xiaoxia Zhai

THE BASICS: STATIC

ELECTRICITY

The laser printing process is based on some

very basic scientific principles applied in an
exceptionally innovative way.
The primary principle at work in a laser printer
is static electricity.

THE BASIC COMPONENTS

OF A LASER PRINTER

THE BASICS: DRUM

This drum assembly

is made out of highly
photoconductive
material which can
be discharged by
light photons.

THE BASICS: FUSER

A fuser is a pair of
heated rollers.
It melts the toner
powder attaching the
powder onto the
paper permanently.

THE LASER SCANNING

ASSEMBLY

A Laser
A Movable Mirror
A Lens

TONER BASICS

A toner consists of a dry, powdery substance

that is electrically charged so that it adheres to
a drum, plate, or piece of paper charged with
the opposite polarity.
The powder has two main ingredients: pigment
and plastic.

THE CONTROLLER

The Conversation
Page Description Language
Setting Up The Page

COLOR LASER
PRINTERS

ADVANTAGES OF
LASER PRINTERS

Three main advantages of a laser printer over

an inkjet printer: speed, precision and economy.
It writes much faster than an inkjet, because
laser moves quickly.
It draws precisely without spilling excess
powder.
It costs little to keep a laser printer running.

REFERENCES

Flash Magazine Editorial, The Underground

Guide To Laser Printers, Addison-Wesley Pub
Co; 1993.
The PC Technology Guide,
http://www.pctechguide.com
How Stuff Works,
http://computer.howstuffworks.com