• Question: How do laser printers work?

    Asked by bethbuscus to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 2 Jul 2012.
    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      There’s a drum inside that is charged up with static electricity. The printer uses a laser to shine on the drum, which removes the static charge wherever there is a blank space on the final printed page. This means that the drum has static charge in the shape of the letters and pictures that need to be printed.
      Then, the drum is passed over some toner ink (a very fine powder), which sticks to the static charge. Next, paper is pressed against the drum to transfer the toner onto the paper. Finally, the paper is heated up to melt the toner onto the page.

    • Photo: Philippa Bird

      Philippa Bird answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      They apparently cheaper per sheet than ink printers, and faster.

    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 2 Jul 2012:

      So the ink is sprayed at the paper and the magnetic charge repels it, apart from in the places the laser has fired.

      Seems like a waste of ink to me, but there we go.

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