Inkjet Printers

Description

Inkjet (also known as ink jet) printers are non-compact printers that print characters by dispensing small ink droplets onto the paper. Inkjet printers are commonly utilized by businesses for reasons attributed to their low cost. Inkjet printers are the commonly used type of printers in the computer market.

Components

The various components of inkjet printers include:

• Print head assembly, which consists of
  • Ink cartridges
  • Print head
  • Print head stepper motor
  • Stabilizer bar 
  • Belt

• Paper feed assembly, which consists of
  • Rollers
  • Paper tray/feeder
  • Paper feed stepper motor

• Control circuitry
• Power supply
• Interface port(s)

Types

There are three types of inkjet printers:

• Piezoelectric inkjet printers
• Continuous inkjet printers
• Thermal inkjet printers

The types of inks used for inkjet printers are:

• UV-curable inks
• Solvent inks
• Dye sublimation inks

Specifications

The specifications to be considered for inkjet printers are:

• Maximum resolution
• Printing technology
• Minimum ink droplet size
• Ink cartridge specification
• Ink palette
• Nozzle configuration
• Print speed
• Maximum paper width
• Maximum printable area
• Paper sizes
• Paper types
• Envelope types
• Maximum paper thickness
• Paper capacity
• Recommended cartridges
• Ink shelf life
• Rated voltage
• Rated frequency
• Rated current

Advantages

The advantages of inkjet printers are:

• Easier to use than laser jet printers
• Quieter during operation
• Unlike laser jet printers, they do not need any warm-up time for printing
• Consume less electricity than laser jet printers and hence can be connected to the UPS

Applications

• Inkjet printers are used to print technical drawings and advertising graphics
• Continuous inkjet printers are used in beverage, food, media, car and electronics industries
• Inkjet printers are used for domestic printing purposes