What is toner in a printer?

Modern technologies today amaze us with their capabilities and modes of operation. Advanced ideas and developments are used in almost all areas of human activity. They are designed to make life easier and improve its quality. Ideas in the field of computer technology occupy a special place among developments. Thanks to mass labor automation, all enterprises use computers and peripheral devices connected to them in their work.

Printers

In our article we will talk about the technology that ensures the creation of paper storage media, and about the basic materials necessary to ensure the normal and full functioning of the device. We will talk about printers, their operating principle and basic design details.

Many beginners wonder when using printers for the first time. Its design contains many parts, the purpose of which may not be clear when you first get acquainted with the equipment. One such challenge is toner. We will try to explain its purpose clearly in our article, and also consider the varieties of this element that exist in our time.

IMPORTANT: Before starting work, carefully read the instructions and operating manual included with the purchased equipment set.

In them you can find all the answers to your questions, as well as take advantage of useful tips to ensure high-quality printing and high productivity.

What is toner?

Before considering various options and comparing characteristics according to various indicators, you should define the concept of “toner” and know what it is needed for. This element is used in printers based on laser printing. Many users think that in laser printers the print is applied to the paper only by the laser, so there is no need to refill it, you just need to turn on the power and connect it to the computer.

But this is a mistaken opinion. Of course, the laser plays an important role in the operation of the device, but it is not the main component for outputting the image. The most important element is a cartridge with a special coloring composition. It is this that is applied to paper and forms the display of text and pictures. The cartridge consists of a housing (in the form of a drum or an oblong shaft) for loading ink or powder and ink material for printing.

Laser printers use toner as the basis. It is a dry polymer powder that varies in density, weight, volume and number of granules. To understand its role in printing, it is worth considering the work process:

1. First, the equipment is connected to the power source and to the computer. Then the software and drivers for pairing are installed.
2. After this, the mechanical stage of work begins. Paper is loaded into a special compartment, and a toner cartridge is installed (we will tell you more about its location later).
3. Then, in a special program or through a text editor, the document is sent for printing.The paper is fed inside along a special roller to pass under the printing press.
4. A small amount of toner is applied to develop the print. Due to the high temperature created by the laser (the powder stabilizes the electrical charge), the powder adheres to the paper and forms text.
5. After this, the paper comes out with printed information from a special compartment.

In the description of this process, the role of the toner and its main task in applying the image are clear. It is thanks to him that information is displayed in printed format. The type of document received depends on its properties and quality.

IMPORTANT: The physical properties of the polymer powder determine the speed of its application and the temperature required for adhesion. In this case, productivity is directly dependent on the properties of the toner.

Types of toners

After we have examined the basic structure and purpose of toners, we should familiarize ourselves with the main types used in printing systems in our time. Modern printers use a wide variety of compounds.

Based on composition and main components, they are distinguished:

• When printing, the magnetic type of toner is capable of being magnetized to a special shaft without additional mechanisms.
• The non-magnetic version is fed using carriers onto the shaft and then applied to paper. In this case, it is worth considering the presence of carriers in the design.

Compatibility can be divided into three main categories:

• The original ones are used for a specific type of printer. They are specially produced and sold according to the model of the equipment.
• Compatible cartridges can be used in several types of equipment at once due to the use of universal toner as a coloring material.
• Incompatible options, due to their characteristics, are not able to work with a printer of a certain version.

According to the mechanism and manufacturing principle:

• Chemical processing of raw materials by adding reagents and synthetic polymers.
• The mechanical manufacturing method involves grinding the composition to fine crumbs, forming briquettes and re-grinding into powder to obtain small granules (up to 7 microns in diameter).

Their main difference lies in the constituent components and adhesion mechanism. There are also a number of other distinctive features: color, density, granule size. To make selection easier, manufacturers include information about the material used on the printer cover or in the device’s instruction manual.

IMPORTANT: Large granules have a negative effect on equipment, so recently only small powder mixtures have been used.

Advantages and disadvantages of toners

If you are in doubt about choosing the type of printer for home use, it is worth reading various comparative characteristics and user reviews. Toners have a number of advantages and disadvantages that should be considered when selecting and purchasing equipment.

First, let's look at the advantages, these include the following indicators:

• High productivity and economical use of powder. The cost per page will be less.
• There are no smeared areas left on the sheet. The image is generated in high quality.
• The resulting image is not blurred or blurred.
• Possibility to refill the cartridge to save money.

Unfortunately, this type of printing has its drawbacks, the most significant of which are:

• High toxic activity of the polymer used. This leads to the use of necessary security measures.
• Use of personal protective equipment for the skin and respiratory system: masks, rubber gloves...
• Work in well-ventilated areas.
• Difficulty in refilling and disposing of used elements.

You should be careful when choosing a printer. Typically, laser models are used for large production volumes for office work. For use at home, you can purchase a model with average performance.

Where is the toner located?

Finding toner in the device is quite simple. This question may arise if it needs to be replaced. The toner cartridge is located inside the equipment body. Open the front cover of the printer. The internal elements will open before you. The cartridge has a special handle on its body.

Pull it (if there are locking clips, you must remove them) and remove the part from the housing. There will be toner inside. To refill, you need to open a special plug or burn a hole on the cartridge cover.