You are bound to encounter printer problems at one time in the service life of a laser printer. Some of these problems are easy to fix while others require a professional laser printer repair service to resolve. However, before you go ahead and attempt DIY laser printer repair, you need to familiarize yourself with common laser printer problems. This way you gain competence in identifying which issues require professional laser printer repair service and which do not. A solid foundation on the working of laser printers makes it easier to identify the specific issue among the myriad possible problems. This article begins with a description of how a laser printer works.
Components of a Laser Printer
A laser printer works pretty much the same way that a photocopier works. Assuming you want to print a work document, the process begins with the electronic transfer of the document to the printer. A laser light in the printer then writes down the text from the document onto an electrostatically charged drum. The charge on the drum causes ink particles, from a toner cartridge, to stick to its surface. The ink on the drum is then transferred onto a blank paper to produce the word document on paper. You should note that a laser printer makes use of several rotating components, which makes it possible to have the above processes occurring concurrently.
Other than the drum, a laser printer’s other core components include a wiper blade, a developer roller, a charge roller, a doctor blade and a toner cartridge. The wiper blade removes ink or toner from the drum leaving it ready for the next print job. The developer roller transfers the toner from the cartridge onto the drum. The charge roller applies and removes charge from the drum before and after a print job while the doctor blade controls the amount of toner coming from the print cartridge.
A fault in any one or several of these components results in several common printer issues. Luckily, you can replace most laser printer components yourself. However, if you are new to laser printers, it is best to leave such tasks to a laser printer repair service professional. Here are some common printer issues.
Straight thin vertical lines
These lines tend to occur in the same place on a printed page. The primary cause of this printing problem is a scratched drum. In such a scenario, these lines are reproductions of lines present on the drum surface. A cut on the wiper blade, a scratch on the charge roller and a dirty doctor blade can also produce this printing defect. The optimal solution in all four scenarios is the replacement of the defective parts. Fortunately, you find most of these parts at your local laser printer repair service provider.
Thick Vertical lines
As with the previous laser printer defect, these thick lines also tend to appear in the same place on a printed page. These lines can result from a worn wiper blade or a damaged doctor blade. The replacement of the faulty components is the only way to resolve this common laser printing problem.
Repeating Dots or Spots
The presence of black dots and spots on a printed page indicates it time to call a printer repair company. This particular printing defect results from a defective drum, which is best replaced by a professional. However, if you are familiar with your printer, then you can try cleaning the drum with isopropyl alcohol. If that fails, then you can go ahead and replace the drum.
Short Horizontal lines
Short horizontal lines appearing on printed work indicates an issue with either the developer or charge roller. A notable trait of this printing defect is that the distance between the short lines tends to correspond to the circumference of either of the rollers. The replacement of both rollers is usually the optimal solution to this problem.
One last common laser printer issue involves the presence of grey smears on printed documents. This issue is typically resolved by replacing most of the components in the printer, from the drum to the toner cartridges. Fortunately, you can get all your printer and copier cartridge supplies from companies offering laser printer repair service.