| The word printer means different things in | | | | which are relevant today. · Inkjet printers |
| different fields of applications. Going by the | | | | · Laser printers · Plotters · Thermal |
| generic meaning, a printer means one who is in | | | | printers · Digital minilabs |
| the occupation of printing and publishing. It also | | | | Generally in an office environment, the first three |
| means a device which prints out the results of | | | | types of printers are the preferred ones. These |
| data computed by computers, as applied to | | | | are designed especially for office needs such as |
| computers. In the celluloid world, it stands for | | | | printing text matters, graphics like charts and |
| devices used to copy and modify films. It is | | | | power point presentation documents etc with an |
| extremely relevant to talk about the computer | | | | exception that plotters are dedicated for uses like |
| printers in this article. | | | | constructional drawings which can't be 'printed'. |
| Computer Printer A computer printer transforms | | | | How Printers Work Inkjet printers print by placing |
| digitally stored documents of graphics or text | | | | extremely small (50-60 microns in size) ink drops |
| data into paper/hard copies. Printers can be | | | | precisely in the format of the original document. |
| permanently interfaced with individual computers | | | | The precision is so high that equals resolutions of |
| or can be anywhere in the network, invariably | | | | 1440x720 dpi. The dots can any colors in |
| through network interfaces, either wired or | | | | predetermined combination to create color images. |
| wireless, so that any or all users can share for | | | | Laser printers work similar to photocopiers but |
| hard copy production. You will normally see a | | | | differing in producing images. The document is |
| wired network in small areas known as LAN and | | | | directly scanned on to a photosensitive drum |
| wireless networks or Ethernets are over a wide | | | | creating a negative image which is later developed |
| area (WAN). | | | | by 'lamping back' and pressurized rolling over the |
| Types of Modern Printers Printers have evolved | | | | paper by fusing. |
| so much that you can have true life quality | | | | Plotters can print only line diagrams by one or |
| printing with them which is a departure from the | | | | more pens moving laterally according to the |
| earlier 'dot matrix' printers. Here are some printers | | | | commands received by them. |