Toner is a major component to your printer. Without toner, you would not be able to print because the toner is the color that gets put on the page. Ink cartridges are very similar to toners, except that ink cartridges are used in inkjet printers while toner cartridges are used in laser printers. Laser printers are the type of printer that most businesses use. This is because laser printers are more efficient and can print a larger volume of black and white pages much faster than most inkjet printers.
Inkjet printers are mainly used for home, personal printing or printing that requires a lot of color. While laser printers are excellent for users that print a high volume of pages regularly which is why many businesses prefer laser over inkjet. The cost per page and regular maintenance is usually lower than an inkjet printer too. Laser printers have the capability to print pages at a much faster rate – think about 20 pages per minute versus about five pages per minutes with an inkjet printer.
So, if you are a business that has invested in a laser printer, toner is an essential part of the operation. Toner is comprised of a fine powder that can be magnetically charged. This magnetic charge is picked up by the electrically-charged drum and the toner particles are lifted and rolled onto the page in the shape or form you want to be printed. A laser in the printer glues these toner particles to the page using heat.
Toner powder comes in black, white, clear, cyan, magenta and yellow. The powder has tiny, fine particles of plastic mixed in that adheres the color to the page when it goes through the fuser (which heats the mixture). This mixture creates a crisp and lasting image on the paper.
Original Equipment Manufacturer, or OEM, refers to toner that is made by the same brand as your printer. As BIS Office Systems, we carry OEM toner for virtually every make and model printer on the market. The best part about buying toner through us is that you will find it here for much less than your typical office supply store. We also make our own line of BIS | Office Systems private label toners. An industry leader OEM manufactures our toner to ensure quality and a best-in-class product.
Toner typically should be changed every 2,000 pages or so. This is another differentiator from inkjet printers. Laser printer toner cartridges can last a very long time compared to inkjet printer cartridges, which usually last about 500 pages before needing to be replaced.
Taking care of your printer, doing regular maintenance and cleaning, and cleaning your toner cartridges will keep your printer running efficiently and increase its lifespan.
Some tips to clean your toner:
· Wipe the toner cartridge with an activated toner cloth. The toner cloth works to attract and catch toner particles that other cloths would not pick up.
· Use a toner vacuum to suck out any spilled toner on the inside of your printer.
· Use a clean paintbrush to clean hard-to-reach nooks and crannies in your printer.
· Wash the paper feed roller using rubbing alcohol.