adam's notes

Laser Printer Maintenance

  • printers need more maintenance than most other IT devices
  • Printers generate a lot of dirt
    • paper dust and ink/toner spills
    • require regular cleaning
  • Consumable items also require replacing frequently under heavy use
  • To keep a print device working in good condition
    • requires a regular maintenance schedule and user training

Info

When performing any type of maintenance other than loading paper,

  • unplug the printer from the power supply
  • Open the panels, and allow all components to cool to room temperature

Loading Paper

  • printer will report when a tray runs out of paper
  • When loading new paper, follow these guidelines:
    • Use good quality paper designed for use with:
      • the model of printer
      • the required output type
        • document versus photo
    • Position the media guides at the edges of the loaded stack
      • printer uses sensors from the guides to detect the paper size
      • Different trays may support different types, sizes, and thicknesses of media
      • Do not add unsupported media to a tray or overload it
    • Do not use creased, dirty, or damp paper

Replacing the Toner Cartridge

  • maintain a supply of the proper toner cartridges for your printer model
  • printer will display a status message when toner is low
  • removing the cartridge and rocking gently from front-to-back can help to get the most out of it
  • Color lasers will usually have four cartridges for the different colors
    • replaced separately
  • remove the packing strips from cartridge
  • rock the cartridge gently from front to back to distribute the toner evenly
  • Insert the cartridge, close the service panel, turn on, and print a test page
    • drum in the toner cartridge is light-sensitive
    • Fit the cartridge in the print device immediately
  • Toner cartridges must be disposed of according to local regulations
    • are Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
    • Do not dispose of cartridges as general waste

Cleaning the Printer

  • follow the manufacturer’s specific recommendations for cleaning and maintenance
  • General guidelines:
    • Use a damp cloth to clean exterior surfaces
    • Wipe dust and toner away from the printer interior or exterior with a soft cloth
      • or use toner vacuum
      • do not use
        • compressed air
        • regular vacuum
    • if toner is spilled, wash with cold water
    • Use IPA (99% Isopropyl Alcohol solution) and non-scratch, lint-free swabs to clean rollers and electronic contacts
      • don’t scratch the rollers
    • Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for replacing the printer’s dust and ozone filters regularly

Replacing the Maintenance Kit

  • maintenance kit is a set of replacement feed rollers, transfer roller, and fuser unit
    • Replacement is guided by the printer’s internal copy count of the number of pages that it has printed
    • status indicator will display the message “Maintenance Kit Replace”
  • steps
    • Remove the old fuser and rollers and clean the printer
    • Install the fuser and new rollers
      • remove the packing strips
    • use a recycling program to dispose of the fuser unit and old rollers in an environmentally responsible manner

Calibrating a Printer

  • Calibration is the process by which the printer determines the appropriate print density or color balance
  • Most printers calibrate themselves automatically
  • can invoke the calibration routine from the printer’s control panel or its software driver

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