3.7 Given a scenario, install & replace printer consumables

Question 1

What happens in the laser printer’s Processing stage?

(This is the 1st step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 1

Formatter board converts data to a bitmap in memory

This is used for printing

The formatter board is a circuit board that handles the processing of print data. It converts the data sent from the computer into a format the printer can understand

Question 2

What happens in the laser printer’s Charging stage?

(This is the 2nd step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 2

Primary Charge Roller (PCR) prepares the imaging drum

The PCR is a metal roller covered with rubber that is powered by a high voltage supply. It applies a consistent negative electrical charge of -600V across the surface of the drum

Question 3

What happens in the laser printer’s exposing stage?

(This is the 3rd step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 3

Laser light neutralizes the drum’s charge to form the image

This process results in a pattern of charged and uncharged dots on the drum, forming an electrostatic image of the document to be printed.

Question 4

What happens in the laser printer’s developing stage?

(This is the 4th step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 4

Toner is applied to the exposed drum areas

The photosensitive drum is a cylindrical drum coated with a material that becomes conductive when exposed to light. It creates a latent image by selectively holding toner on charged areas, which is then transferred to paper during printing.

Question 5

What is the laser printer’s laser toner?

Answer 5

Powder to create text & images on paper

Question 6

4 components included within a laser printer’s toner cartridge?

Answer 6

• Imaging drum
• Primary Charge Roller (PCR)
• Developer roller
• Toner hopper

Question 7

What happens in the laser printer’s transferring stage?

(This is the 5th step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 7

Toner is moved from the drum onto the paper

When paper reaches the registration roller, signaling starts the image development process. Paper passes between the imaging drum and the transfer roller, attracting toner. Exiting the transfer assembly, a static eliminator strip removes remaining charge to prevent sticking or curling in the fuser unit.

Question 8

Purpose of the laser printer’s pickup components?

Pickup roller & separation pad

i.e. pickup roller, separation pad, feed roller, separation roller

Answer 8

Start the paper feed process

Feed/Separation roller

Question 9

What does the laser printer’s pickup roller do?

Answer 9

Lifts a sheet from the tray

Question 10

What does the laser printer’s feed & separation roller assembly include?

Answer 10

Rollers that move the paper into the printer

It ensures only 1 sheet is fed at a time by separating the top sheet from the rest of the stack

Question 11

How do automatic trays differ from manual trays in laser printers?

Laser printer with multiple trays

Answer 11

Use rollers to pick up paper automatically

Laser printers may have manual &/or automatic trays

Question 12

How do manual trays differ from automatic trays in laser printers?

Laser printer with multiple trays

Answer 12

Uses a separation pad for paper feeding

Laser printers may have manual &/or automatic trays

This typically requires manual intervention to insert paper into the printer

Question 13

What happens in the laser printer’s Fusing stage?

(This is the 6th step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 13

Paper passes into the fuser assembly

The fuser unit melts toner onto paper by pressing it between a hot metal roller, containing a heat lamp, and a silicon rubber pressure roller. The heat roller has a Teflon coating to prevent toner adhesion.

Question 14

What happens in the laser printer’s Cleaning stage?

(This is the 7th step of laser printer’s imaging process)

Answer 14

Photosensitive drum is cleaned

This removes any remaining particles with a cleaning blade, roller, or brush on the drum’s surface. Residual electrical charge is eliminated with a discharge lamp or the PCR.

Question 15

How many times are the early stages of the laser printer cycle repeated for one page?

Answer 15

2-4 times, depending on the size of the paper

This is due to the circumference of the drum, which is smaller than a sheet of paper

Question 16

What does a laser printer’s duplexing assembly do?

HP Q2439B-300 Duplexer Assembly LaserJet (LJ) 4250 4350

Answer 16

Flips paper

If theres no duplexing assembly, the paper is sent out via exit rollers

Without an auto duplex unit, users can manually flip the paper stack. In manual duplex mode, the printer pauses after printing the first side of each sheet. Users must then return the printed pages to the same input paper tray without changing their orientation. They can then resume the print job.

Question 17

How can a laser printer’s toner cartridge be optimized?

Answer 17

By gently rocking it from front-to-back

Question 18

How many toner cartridges do color laser printers usually have?

Answer 18

4

Each for the different colors

To replace a toner cartridge, open the service panel, remove old cartridge, & insert new cartridge

Question 19

How should a laser printer’s exterior be cleaned?

Answer 19

Using damp cloth

Question 20

What can be used to wipe dust & toner away from a laser printer?

Answer 20

Soft cloth or a toner-safe vacuum

Question 21

Why shouldn’t a compressed air blaster be used to clean a laser printer?

Answer 21

You risk blowing toner dust into the room, creating a health hazard

Do not use an ordinary domestic vacuum cleaner. Toner is conductie & can damage the motor. Toner is also so fine that it’ll pass through the dust collection bag & back into the room

Question 22

What to do if toner is spilled on skin or clothes?

Answer 22

Wash it off with cold water

Using hot water can open the pores of your skin & allow toner particles to penetrate more easily

Question 23

How should a laser printer’s rollers & electronic contacts be cleaned?

Answer 23

With IPA & non-scratch, lint-free, swabs

IPA = Isopropyl Alcohol Solution

Take care not to scratch a roller

Question 24

What does a laser printer’s maintenance kit include?

HP LaserJet 220V Maintenance Kit

Answer 24

Replacement feed rollers, transfer rollers, & fuser unit

Replacement of the maintenance kit is prompted by the printer’s internal page count. When the printer reaches the specified count, it will display a “Maintenance Kit Replace” message on its status indicator.

Question 25

What is printer calibration?

Answer 25

Process that determines how much toner to use ## Footnote Most printers calibrate themselves automatically. If print output is not as expected, you can often invoke the calibration routine from the printer's control panel or its software driver

Question 26

Tradeoff with inkjet printers?

Answer 26

Cheap to buy but expensive to run | i.e. costly consumables like ink cartrides & high-grade paper

Question 27

Why are inkjet printers less common than laser printers for office use?

Answer 27

They're slower & often noisier | With the exception for low-volume, good-quality color printing

Question 28

How do inkjet printers work?

Answer 28

by spraying droplets of ink onto paper ## Footnote This produces high-quality images, especially on treated paper. However, the prints can smear & fade.

Question 29

2 types of inkjet print heads?

Answer 29

- Piezoelectric - Thermal

Question 30

How do Piezoelectric inkjet print heads work?

Answer 30

Uses electric charges to push ink out

Question 31

How do thermal inkjet print heads work?

Answer 31

Uses heat to create ink bubbles that burst & spray ink

Question 32

What Inkjet printer brand uses Piezolectric print heads?

Answer 32

Epson ## Footnote These companies often license their technology to other vendors.

Question 33

What Inkjet printer brand uses Thermal print heads?

Answer 33

- HP - Canon - Lexmark ## Footnote These companies often license their technology to other vendors.

Question 34

What is the tradeoff With thermal laser printer print heads?

Answer 34

Cheaper but have a short lifespan | This is due to the heating elements

Question 35

How do inkjet printers build up an image?

Answer 35

Line by line

Question 36

How does an inkjet printer's print head move back & forth over a paper?

Answer 36

Via carriage system ## Footnote The carriage system is the mechanism that holds and moves the print head and ink cartridges back and forth across the paper during printing

Question 37

2 ways inkjet prints apply ink?

Answer 37

- When print head moves in 1 direction only - When print head moves out & returns

Question 38

What is the *Platen Gap* in inkjet printers?

Answer 38

Distance between print head & paper ## Footnote It can be adjusted to allow for thicker paper or media. Adjustment can be manual (via lever) or automatic (based on settings in the printer driver)

Question 39

Should interior of inkjet printers be cleaned?

Answer 39

No | You're likely to do harm for no real benefit ## Footnote The outside of the printer can be cleaned using a soft, damp cloth

Question 40

2 types of paper loading for inkjet printers?

Answer 40

- Top loading - Bottom loading ## Footnote Top loading means paper is loaded at the top & exits at the bottom; Bottom loading means both input & output bins are at the bottom, & the paper turns ("up-and-over" path)

Question 41

What does the inkjet printer's load roller do?

Answer 41

Moves the top sheet of paper

Question 42

What does the inkjet printer's *Eject Rollers* do?

Answer 42

Eject paper to output bin or duplexing assembly | it ejects to duplexing assembly if duplex printing is selected ## Footnote Some printers with a curved paper path have a "straight-through" rear panel for thicker media

Question 43

What do some inkjet printers integrate the print head to?

Answer 43

ink cartridge ## Footnote So when the cartridge is replaced, so is the print head. But this isnt always the case, especially with thermal print heads

Question 44

What inkjet print heads are commonly integrated into the ink cartridge?

Answer 44

Thermal print heads

Question 45

What inkjet print heads are designed to be non-removable?

Answer 45

Piezoelectric print heads | They're meant to last as long as the printer itself

Question 46

How many ink reservoirs do color inkjets typically need? | Ink cartridges hold the ink reservoirs

Answer 46

Atleast 4 | for CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black) inks ## Footnote These reservoirs can be housed in a single cartridge, or there might be separate cartridges for black & colored ink, or each ink color might have its own cartridge

Question 47

What to do if an inkjet printer's output is skewed?

Answer 47

Use print head alignment function to calibrate the printer ## Footnote This can typically befound in the printer's property sheet or settings menu. This ensures the print head is properly aligned with the paper, resulting in correctly positioned prints. Often, print head alignment is automatically performed when you replace the ink cartridges, but it might need to be done separately if alignment issues persist.

Question 48

What to do if the inkjet printer's print head is blocked/dirty?

Answer 48

Use printer's cleaning cycle ## Footnote This can be accessed through the property sheet or control panel settings. The cleaning cycle clears blockages from the print head nozzles. If this doesn't work, manual inkjet cleaning products are available

Question 49

How do thermal printers work?

Answer 49

Use a heating element to create the image on the paper ## Footnote There are various types of thermal printers using different technologies for different purposes. The most common type you'll likely support is the direct thermal printer. These printers, especially portable or small form factor ones, are used for high-volume barcode and label printing and for printing receipts.

Question 50

What is the typical dpi for thermal printers?

Answer 50

200-300 dpi ## Footnote Some models are able to print 1 or 2 colors. Print speeds are measured in inches per second

Question 51

What does thermal paper contain? | Thermal paper is used for thermal printers

Answer 51

Chemicals designed to react & change color as it's heated

Question 52

What does the thermal printer's heating element do?

Answer 52

Heats thermal paper to create images

Question 53

What happens in the thermal printer's *feed assembly*? ## Footnote The *feed assembly* refers to components that feed paper through the print mechanism

Answer 53

A stepper motor runs a rubber-coated roller to friction-feed paper ## Footnote Paper & labels may be fanfold or roll format

Question 54

How can paper debris in a thermal printer be removed?

Answer 54

via vacuum or soft brush

Question 55

2 ways to clean sticky residue in thermal printers?

Answer 55

- Swab with cleaning fluid - Cleaning cards ## Footnote An appropriate cleaning fluid is IPA. Cleaning cards safely clean the print head & remove residue from the feed mechanism

Question 56

How does an impact printer work?

Answer 56

Strikes an inked ribbon against paper to leave marks

Question 57

What is a common type of impact printer?

Answer 57

Dot matrix printer

Question 58

How do dot matrix printers work?

Answer 58

Use a column of pins in a print head to strike the ribbon ## Footnote Desktop dot matrix devices are no longer widely deployed for document printing, but they're still used for specialist functions like printing invoices or pay slips on continuous, tractor-fed paper

Question 59

3 types of paper used with impact printers?

Answer 59

- Plain paper - Carbon paper (impact paper) - Tractor-Fed paper

Question 60

What mechanism pulls plain paper through an impact printer?

Answer 60

The moving roller (the platen) | The moving roller moves it through by friction as it rotates

Question 61

Why is carbon paper used in impact printers? | aka impact paper

Answer 61

To make multiple copies in one pass | (hence carbon copy, or "cc") ## Footnote This would be done by inserting carbon paper between each sheet of plain paper

Question 62

What is tractor-feed paper fitted with?

Answer 62

Perforated side strips | "perforated" means material that's punctured with small holes/slits ## Footnote These strips' holes are fixed over studded rollers at each end of the platen, reducing the risk of skewing or slippage common with multi-part stationery.

Question 63

What type of replaceable ribbon did older impact printers use?

Answer 63

2-spool ribbon

Question 64

What type of replaceable ribbon do most modern impact printers use?

Answer 64

Carriage device that forms a continuous loop ## Footnote This simplifies the design by moving in one direction only, eliminating the need for a reversing mechanism

Question 65

What to do if the impact printer's print quality dereases?

Answer 65

Replace the ribbon & holder it sits in ## Footnote However, some prints are designed to allow the ribbon to be replaced separately while resuing the same cartridge

Question 66

Purpose of 3-D printers?

Answer 66

Build solid objects from successive layers of material

Question 67

What material to 3-D printers typically use?

Answer 67

Plastic

Question 68

4 materials that 3-D printers may use?

Answer 68

- Plastic - Rubber - Carbon fiber - Metal alloy

Question 69

How does the 3D printing process start?

Answer 69

Scanning an object or creating a design with 3D modeling software

Question 70

What happens to a 3D model before it's printed? | (in a 3d printer)

Answer 70

It's sliced into layers by software

Question 71

How is a sliced model sent to a 3D printer?

Answer 71

Via USB, Wi-Fi, or SD card

Question 72

What do 3D printers do with filament?

Answer 72

Melts & extrudes it layer by layer to create the object ## Footnote "extrude" in this context means the printer is pushing melted filament through a nozzle to create layers of the object

Question 73

What parts of a 3D printer move to create an object?

Answer 73

Extruder & sometimes the build bed | It moves along the X/Y/Z axes

Question 74

How do FFF/FDM 3D printers work? ## Footnote (FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication) (FDM = Fused Deposition Modeling) Both terms refer to the same type of 3D printer

Answer 74

Laying down layers of filament at high temperatures

Question 75

What is a FFF/FDM 3D printer's *print bed/build plate*? ## Footnote (FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication) (FDM = Fused Deposition Modeling) Both terms refer to the same type of 3D printer

Answer 75

A heated glass plate where material is extruded | This prevent warping. It must be leveled for each print job

Question 76

What is a FFF/FDM 3D printer's *bed/build surface*? ## Footnote (FFF = Fused Filament Fabrication) (FDM = Fused Deposition Modeling) Both terms refer to the same type of 3D printer

Answer 76

Sheet that holds the object in place during printing ## Footnote Its meant to be removed after printing. It should matcth the filament material

Question 77

What does a FFF/FDM 3D printer's *extruder* do?

Answer 77

Draws filament & melts it in the nozzle to deposit layers | Different nozzles can be used

Question 78

# i At what diameter is filament typically used by 3D printers?

Answer 78

1.75mm or 3mm

Question 79

2 most popular filament materials used by 3D printers?

Answer 79

- PLA - ABS | (PLA = polylactic acid) (ABS = acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) ## Footnote Different materials require different extruder and print-bed temperatures

Question 80

2 things to do when changing filament in 3D printers?

Answer 80

- Heat extruder to the correct temperature - Pull out old filament ## Footnote Once opened, filament spools should be stored carefully, away from heat & humidity

Question 81

What material do SLA 3D printers use? | SLA = Stereolithography

Answer 81

Liquid plastic resin or photopolymer

Question 82

How do SLA 3D printers create objects? | SLA = Stereolithography

Answer 82

By curing the material with an ultraviolet laser | The material would be Liquid plastic resin or photopolymer ## Footnote Curing refers to the process of hardening or solidifying a meterial using heat, light, or chemicals.

Question 83

What material do SLS 3D printers use? | SLS = Selective Laser Sintering

Answer 83

Powder | It can be plastic or metal

Question 84

How do SLS 3D printers create objects?

Answer 84

Fusing layers of powder together via pulse laser