Color laser printers are deceptively complex. The technical process of a color laser printer is likely unknown to casual users, so let's dive into the nitty-gritty of just how this machine prints in color so flawlessly.
A color laser printer operates through an electro-photographic process. Further inside the device, the primary charge roller (or PCR) rotates and applies a negative charge to the neighboring organic photoconductor (or OPC).
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The OPC comes into contact with a laser that precisely forms the image asked of it. Areas not exposed to the laser are not as positively charged as the OPC is.
So when does the toner come in? The toner is stored inside a component called the hopper, waiting to be stirred up to the surface of the OPC and PCR. Through this transfer, it attains a negative charge which attracts it to the positively-charged to the OPC. Toner moves between each component and is then transferred to the paper from within the color cartridges. Then, the paper is melted and fused to the paper with toner. There are even components of the printer that are made to clean up any excess toner occurring from the printing process.
The inner workings of this innovative machine are charged by a perfect marriage of science and technology. It's a wonder how quickly this process occurs for our simple tasks.
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