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The Basics

The drum in a laser printer is initially given an overall positive charge, either from a corona wire or charged roller. As the drum rotates, a laser draws letters and images by selectively discharging points on the drum's surface, creating an electrostatic pattern. Toner powder, which is positively charged, adheres only to the discharged areas, forming the image that is then transferred to paper.

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Abdul Rashid
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21 views1 page

The Basics

The drum in a laser printer is initially given an overall positive charge, either from a corona wire or charged roller. As the drum rotates, a laser draws letters and images by selectively discharging points on the drum's surface, creating an electrostatic pattern. Toner powder, which is positively charged, adheres only to the discharged areas, forming the image that is then transferred to paper.

Uploaded by

Abdul Rashid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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The Basics: Drum

Initially, the drum is given a total positive charge by the charge corona wire, a wire with an electrical
current running through it. (Some printers use a charged rollerinstead of a corona wire, but the principle
is the same.) As the drum revolves, the printer shines a tiny laser beam across the surface to discharge
certain points. In this way, the laser "draws" the letters and images to be printed as a pattern of electrical
charges -- an electrostatic image. The system can also work with the charges reversed -- that is, a
positive electrostatic image on a negative background.
After the pattern is set, the printer coats the drum with positively charged toner -- a fine, black powder.
Since it has a positive charge, the toner clings to the negative discharged areas of the drum, but not to
the positively charged "background." This is something like writing on a soda can with glue and then
rolling it over some flour: The flour only sticks to the glue-coated part of the can, so you end up with a
message written in powder.

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