INKJET PRINTERS Characteristics of inkjet printers Inkjet printers come in many different types and sizes they are mostly used as desktop printers and most of them are able to print in color. Inkjet printers are generally cheaper to buy than laser printers, however they are more expensive to maintain. Cartridges need to be changed more frequently and special paper may be needed to produce a good quality image. Inkjet printers are non-impact devices hence are quieter than dot matrix printers. Most inkjet printers work by spraying small ink onto paper through tiny nozzles. Spraying is initiated by heating the ink to create a bubble until the pressure forces it to burst and hit the paper. Then the nozzle gate is closed again and the process repeats. This occurs a thousands of times per second. Most inkjet printers come with advanced tools that allow you to clean the nozzles (takes a lot of ink) and align new ink cartridges. Inkjet printers commonly provide a print resolution ranging from 300 to 1200 DPI.
