However, they also produce many more pages than an inkjet refill. Laser printer toner cartridges cost more than inkjet refills.

The sheet that comes out of the printer is dry, and there’s no risk of smudging.

To ensure the toner stays on the paper, the sheet passes through heated rollers.

The drum rotates to transfer the image onto it. Once the toner is on the drum, though, it becomes negatively (-) charged.Ī second corona wire gives a strong positive (+) charge to a sheet of paper as it is fed through. The effect is known as static electricity. This negative (-) charge attracts fine, positively charged toner particles to the drum.

Where the beam hits the drum, it creates a negative (-) charge that's an exact copy of your page.

(Reason: it's easier to make the mirror move than it is the laser). The high-intensity laser beam doesn't hit the drum directly it's actually reflected off a moving mirror.

At this point, the charge is positive (+) and even across the drum surface.Ī small computer inside the printer reads the page from your own computer and guides the laser as it transfers the image to the drum. A high-voltage wire (called a corona wire) charges a cylindrical drum.

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