Black and White Large Format Laser Printers
Large format printers, like those manufactured by Epson, Canon, and other companies, are used for a wide range of technical and architectural prints that do not require color printing. Laser printers are one of the types that use a laser beam technology. When combined with toner, monochrome laser printers can print quickly and efficiently.
What is a laser printer and how does it work?A laser printer is a digital device that uses the principle of electrostatic charge to produce monochrome images. The process involves a laser beam moving back and forth over a drum that is negatively charged. The laser charges the parts where the image is going to be. The drum then picks up particles of ink and toner that have the opposite charge to the charged image 'matrix' created. The image is then heated to stick to the paper.
How does the printer connect to an image source?The black and white laser printers can produce images derived from a computer, tablet, phone, the internet, or other sources. The connectivity methods that different models can have include:
- EIO: Uses an electronic connectivity card that uses a port to connect to other devices.
- Ethernet: A port that connects the device to the internet.
- Parallel: Uses a port interface for connecting to another source.
- USB: A standard size USB cable that can connect the device to an image sources with USB ports.
- Wireless: Connects to a wireless network connection to derive images from the internet.
- HP Jetdirect: Technology for connecting the device directly into the local area network. This type is often seen on HP LaserJet printers.
The image quality of a monochrome printer varies depending on the resolution or the number of pixels of an inch, or PPI, that can be achieved on the image. For printing, the value is measured in dots per inches, or DPI. The higher the value, the higher the resolution of the image is. Higher resolution means a sharper image with more pronounced detail. The maximum resolutions available on many multifunction monochrome printers are:
- 600 by 600 dpi
- 1200 by 1200 dpi
- 2400 by 600 dpi
The speed at which the printers work is an important factor when considering which one to get. Depending on how much papers you will need to print in your Epson, Canon, or other device, different printing speeds will need to be considered. The speeds are measured in papers per minute, or PPM. The different speeds can range from 4 ppm to over 50 ppm. Some printers can even print up to 1000 ppm, including two-sided print models.