A+ Certification : 7.0 Understanding Printers (Essentials)

Daisy-wheel printers contain a wheel that resembles a flower with raised letters and symbols on each petal. This wheel, known as the daisy wheel, rotates and strikes the paper to create printed characters. Unlike other types of printers, such as bubble-jet, dot-matrix, and laser printers, which use different mechanisms to produce printed output, daisy-wheel printers are characterized by their unique petal-shaped wheel design.

The correct order of the steps in the EP print process is as follows: first, the cleaning step is performed to remove any residual toner or debris from previous prints. Then, the charging step takes place, where a charge is applied to the drum or photoconductor to prepare it for the next step. Next, the writing step occurs, where a laser or other light source is used to create an electrostatic image on the drum or photoconductor. After that, the developing step takes place, where toner particles are attracted to the charged areas on the drum or photoconductor to form the image. The transferring step follows, where the toner image is transferred onto the paper or other media. Finally, the fusing step occurs, where heat and pressure are applied to the toner to melt it and permanently bond it to the paper.

If the static-eliminator strip is absent or broken in either an EP process or HP LaserJet printer, paper jams may occur in both types of printers because the paper may curl around the photosensitive drum.

A dot-matrix printer is an impact printer that uses a printhead with a row of pins. These pins are triggered in specific patterns as the printhead moves across the paper, forming letters and numbers. This printing method creates characters by striking an ink-soaked ribbon against the paper, leaving dots that form the desired shapes. Dot-matrix printers are known for their durability and ability to produce multiple copies using carbon paper. They were commonly used in offices and homes before the advent of inkjet and laser printers.

An impact printer is the most basic printer type because it uses a mechanical impact to transfer ink onto the paper. It has a printhead with tiny pins that strike an ink ribbon, creating dots on the paper. This type of printer is commonly used for printing receipts, invoices, and other documents that require multiple copies. Impact printers are simple in design and are generally more affordable than other printer types. They are also known for their durability and ability to print on multipart forms.

Dot-matrix printers can be used with multipart forms because they have the ability to create multiple copies of a document simultaneously. Multipart forms typically consist of multiple layers, and dot-matrix printers use impact printing technology to create these copies by striking an inked ribbon against the paper, transferring the ink onto the desired layers. This makes dot-matrix printers suitable for applications such as invoices, receipts, and other forms that require multiple copies to be generated at once. Bubble-jet printers, EP process laser printers, and HP process laser printers do not have the same capability to create multipart forms.

In the EP process laser printer, the toner is transferred to the paper by applying a voltage. The correct voltage that is applied to the paper for this purpose is +600VDC.

The step in the EP print process that uses a laser to discharge selected areas of the photosensitive drum, thus forming an image on the drum, is called "Writing". During this step, the laser beam is used to create a pattern of electrical charges on the drum's surface, which corresponds to the image that needs to be printed. This charged pattern will attract the toner particles in the next step, resulting in the formation of the image on the drum.

The daisy-wheel printer offers several advantages, such as the ability to print multipart forms, being relatively inexpensive, and providing printer quality comparable to a typewriter. However, it lacks speed as an advantage. This means that compared to other printers, the daisy-wheel printer may not be as fast in printing documents.

The printer controller assembly is responsible for formatting the print job for the specific type of printer being used. It receives the data from the computer and processes it, converting it into a format that the printer can understand. This assembly also controls other functions of the printer, such as paper handling and print quality settings.

Possible interfaces for printers include parallel, serial, and network. Parallel interfaces are commonly used for connecting printers to computers, while serial interfaces allow for data transfer between devices. Network interfaces allow printers to be connected to a network, enabling multiple users to access the printer. Mouse port, on the other hand, is not a possible interface for printers.

The high-voltage power supply (HVPS) is responsible for supplying the voltages needed for the charging and transfer corona assemblies in both the EP process and HP LaserJet process printers. The HVPS provides the necessary electrical power to create the corona discharge, which is used to charge the photoreceptor drum and transfer the toner onto the paper. Without the HVPS, the corona assemblies would not receive the required voltages to perform their functions effectively. Therefore, the HVPS plays a crucial role in both printing processes.

The given answer states that "It allows the printer to communicate with networks, servers, and workstations" is not an advantage of a Universal Serial Bus (USB) printer interface. This means that the USB printer interface does not provide the capability to communicate with networks, servers, and workstations.

LED page printers differ from EP process laser printers in the writing step. In LED printers, the writing step involves the use of an array of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to create the image or text on the drum. On the other hand, EP process laser printers use a laser beam to write the image or text on the drum. This fundamental difference in the writing step is what sets LED printers apart from EP process laser printers.

PostScript and Printer Control Language (PCL) are both page-description languages. Page-description languages are used to describe the layout and content of a printed page. PostScript is a widely used page-description language that allows for high-quality printing and is compatible with a variety of printers. PCL is another page-description language that is commonly used for printing documents and is supported by many printers. Page Script is not a recognized page-description language, so it is not a correct answer to the question.

The corona assembly is responsible for transferring the toner from the photosensitive drum onto the paper in a printer. The corona wire in the assembly is charged with high voltage, creating an electric field that attracts the toner particles from the drum onto the paper. This process is essential for creating the final printed image on the paper.

Bubble jet and laser printers are referred to as page printers because they receive their printer job instructions one page at a time. These printers use different technologies to create the printed output. Bubble jet printers use tiny nozzles to spray ink onto the paper, while laser printers use a laser beam to transfer toner onto the paper. Both types of printers are capable of printing one page at a time, making them suitable for printing large documents or multiple copies of the same page.

In EP process laser printers, the laser discharges the charged photosensitive drum to -100 VDC. This negative voltage is necessary to neutralize the positive charge on the drum surface, allowing the toner particles to adhere to the drum and transfer onto the paper during the printing process.

The basis weight is the weight in pounds of 500 sheets of bond paper for the size of paper that measures 17 x 22 inches.

The correct answer is eight. This means that any printer that uses the electrophotographic process contains eight standard assemblies.