Inkjet Printer|Definition, Types, Features, Working
Inkjet Printer can be defined as that type of printer that uses ink to create images or text on paper or any other substrate. Actually, Inkjet printer sprays tiny ink droplets directly onto the paper that produce print according to receiving data.
Features of Inkjet Printers
Following are some incredible features of Inkjet Printers.
High-Quality Printing
Inkjet Printers are the best for getting high-quality, and rich-color prints with smooth gradients. Their seamlessly ability of blending colors to print natural and vibrant images, make them ideal for printing photo, marketing materials, and detailed graphics.
Affordable Initial Cost
Inkjet Printers are the best for personal and small offices’ use, because they can easily be purchased at much lower price as compared to other printers. This feature also makes them suitable to fulfill lower printing requirements where high-volume printing is not required but still high quality is needed.
Compact and Light-weight Design
Inkjet Printers are made up of very light-weight components that are arranged very compactly within printing machine. So, compact and lightweight design makes them able to be easily fitted on desks, selves, and other small offices setups. Moreover, this feature also makes them best to move around working environment.
Print on Versatile Substrates
Inkjet Printers can print on a number of versatile substrates, ranging from glossy photo paper to textured paper, and from labels to even on fabric substrate. As they also support printing on CDs, DVDs, and T-shirts, so they are the best choice for printing crafts, professional photos, and marketing materials.
Energy-efficient & Eco-friendly Printing
Inkjet Printers are the most electricity/power saver choice among all the other printers, because its liquid-ink does not need any heating source to print. Beside this, they also don’t need any mechanical work to transfer ink on printing substrate. So, there is no noise along with less chances of system breakage. Both these features of energy-saving, and no noise, makes them the best eco-friendly printing option.
Minimal Warm-up Time
As Inkjet Printers’ ink does not need heating for printing, thus it starts printing job immediately. This feature of minimum warmup time, makes these printers the best choice for small printing jobs where immediate printing is the first priority.
Individual Ink Cartridge Options
Now, many inkjet printers support separate ink cartridge for each color. It means that the user can buy and replace colored-ink cartridges according to your needs. This feature saves your money and also saves environment from wastes.
Borderless and High Resolution Printing
Inkjet Printers support borderless prints, so they are highly used for professional printing jobs, like to print brochures, marketing materials, and photos. Moreover, its ability to produce high resolution results also increase its demand in professional environments.
How Inkjet Printers Work?
Inkjet Printers use liquid ink to print images and text. These printers have printheads that on heating propel microscopic ink droplets from the ink cartridges on the printing paper.
Data Processing
The first step involves the receiving of data from a device like computer, smartphone, or any cloud service. Then, the control board in the inkjet printer converts this file into printable format.
Paper Loading
The printing paper is fed into the printer through the paper tray. Then the rollers in the printer place the paper just under the printhead, so that printing job can be done according to receiving data.
Ink Droplet Formation
The Inkjet Printers form Ink droplets by the following two technologies.
Thermal Bubble (Bubble Jet) Technology
In the Thermal Bubble Technology, the ink-bubbles are formed on heating. On receiving the command, the printhead starts to heat the ink. On heating, the ink-bubbles are started to expand, and thus, forces a droplet of ink to come out of the nozzle and creating a vacuum effect that pulls more ink into the chamber where ink-bubbles are formed on heating. This process happens thousands of time in inkjet printers, and thus, ensures fast and efficient printing.
Piezoelectric Technology
The Inkjet Printers that generates ink-bubbles with piezoelectric technology, have piezoelectric crystal that changes shape on receiving electric charge. The changing in crystal shape creates pressure inside the ink chamber, that forces the droplet of ink to move from the nozzle to the printing surface. When the electric charge is removed, the crystal turns to its original position, thus creating vacuum in chamber that pulls more ink in the chamber from the reservoir. The ele tric charge changes the ink into bubbles that move on paper to give perfect printout. This process happens thousands of times in the presence of electrical charge, and is highly preferred for obtaining perfect droplets size and right placement, so that high-quality printing can be ensured.
Drying Process
After the proper ejection of ink onto printing substrate, the liquid ink must be dried quickly, so that end results must be clear and high-quality. Some printing substrates have special coating that absorbs ink immediately, while in some cases, ink is dried quickly by evaporation.