Quick Answer: A number of brands including Brother, Dell, HP, and Samsung offer laser printers with toner that includes the drum. It’s better to check while buying a printer if it has a drum or not.
The advantage of printers with toners that include the drum is that you don’t have to worry about buying a separate drum unit. The disadvantage is that you can’t use generic or third-party toner cartridges with these laser printers.
If you own an HP laser printer, the drum unit is probably included in the toner. There is no need to replace the drum with something else. There are many laser printers that have separate drums and Cartridges. It completely depends on the brand and how they build a printer.
What is a Toner Cartridge?
A toner cartridge is an ink cartridge that is used in laser printers. Toners are a powder that is mixed with pigments and other materials to create the print. When the cartridge comes in contact with light, the pigment change colors and creates the image on the page.
Toner cartridges are made of two types of materials. The outer material is called the shell, and the inner part is called the core. When a cartridge is empty, it contains a small amount of core material and a large amount of shell material. The core material is the expensive part of a cartridge. This is where the toner is located.
A toner cartridge can last a long time if it’s stored properly. If you fail to store the toner properly it can leak out and ruin the print quality. However, you should check the toner cartridge regularly to make sure it’s not empty and that the toner hasn’t leaked.
Related – How Long Does Printer Toner Last?
What is a Drum?
The inking drum is a part of the ink cartridge which is used for printing. The drum always rotates with the printhead. That means when the printhead moves towards the paper, the drum also moves with it. At this point, the drum and printhead are in contact with the paper. When you command the printer for printing the ink instantly gets transferred to the paper from the printhead through the drum. When the paper passes through the drum, it leaves the ink on the paper. This is how a printer prints.
There are many types of inking drums available in the market but the most common type of inking drum is the single-color drum. You can also get a multiple-color inking drum in the market. The single color drum is used for printing black and white and the multiple color rum is used for more than one color printing.
Do all Laser Printers Have Drums?
Yes, all laser printers have drums, and not all laser printer drums are the same. Some laser printers use a removable drum, while others use a fixed drum. If you are in need of a new printer, consider buying a new laser printer with a removable drum so that you don’t face any issues while upgrading your printer in the future.
What Is An Imaging Drum In A Printer?
An imaging drum is a cylindrical component in a printer that holds and transfers a latent image onto paper. The drum is coated with a light-sensitive material, and as it rotates, it is exposed to a laser beam that imprints an image onto it. The drum then transfers the image onto paper as it passes through the printer. The imaging drum is a critical component in a printer, and if it is damaged, the printer will not be able to function.
Imaging drums have a coating of selenium or similar conductive material that interacts with light, making them sensitive to changes in electric charge. The drums must be replaced periodically – typically after every few thousand prints – as the Selenium coating wears away.
Related – Tips To Clean Your Inkjet Printer
The Difference Between a Toner Cartridge and a Drum Unit
The toner cartridge is the primary component of the laser printer that holds the toner. The drum unit is a component inside the printer that transfers the image from the toner cartridge to the paper.
Toner drum units are more expensive than toner cartridges, but they last longer and are more efficient. The toner cartridge can be replaced but the toner drum unit is not replaceable.
Therefore, if you are planning to buy a new printer, then it is better to buy a toner drum unit as the replacement cost will be less than a toner cartridge.
Advantages of Using Drum Unit
There are a few advantages of using drums built into toner cartridges. One is that you don’t need to have an extra piece of equipment as it comes built-in. It also makes the recycling process much easier because the entire cartridge can be recycled as one unit.
Here are five advantages of using a Printer that has a built-in Drum Unit
- Compact and takes up less space than a printer with a separate drum unit.
- Less likely to experience toner leakage.
- A built-in drum unit costs less to maintain and replace than a printer with a separate drum unit.
- No need to worry about extra pieces of equipment
- It’s more environmentally friendly
The disadvantage of using Drum Unit
While printer drums can last for several years, they eventually need to be replaced. This can be a costly and time-consuming process, especially if the printer is not under warranty. Additionally, if the drum unit is not replaced properly, it can cause damage to the printer and result in costly repairs.
Here are five disadvantages of using a printer with a drum unit.
- Expensive than printer models that do not have them built in.
- Difficult to replace if they break or become damaged.
- Drum units can add extra weight to a printer, making it more difficult to move around.
- Some people say these printers are noisy.
- Sometimes they may produce low print quality.
Conclusion
So, finally, it is clear to you that the most popular brands like Brother, Canon, Dell, Epson, and HP have drums built into toner cartridges. These brands typically offer a wide variety of models to choose from, so you should be able to find one that meets your specific needs. it’s not like this printer works differently than a regular printer does, the printer that has a built-in drum unit is also capable of printing, copying, and scanning documents and photos.
However, if you are looking for a printer, I’d suggest going for a drum unit, but it will cost a little bit. But still, you don’t have to worry about the ink cartridge running out because it is already built into the cartridge.
More From InkLaserPrint