How does a printer work? Different photo printers use different types of technology, so there isn't a universal "how to" in examining how printers work, but they do share some similar technologies.
At the core, all printers work using the same basic technology. You start with a file at the computer. When you send the file to the printer, the computer uses print drivers to encode the file into a language that the printer understands. The computer then sends this data down the cable to the printer, where it accumulates in the print buffer until the printer has enough data to begin printing. From there, the print head moves across the page, distributing ink according to the data sent by the computer.
Thermal Print Technology
While home photo printers vary somewhat in technology, most printers use thermal print technology. This means that the print head gets very hot and causes a reaction in the ink, which then splatters onto the page in precisely planned dots. The most popular type of inkjet technology is bubble jet printing.
In bubble jet printing, resisters in the print head heat until the point when the ink starts to vaporize. This process creates a bubble of ink, hence the name bubble jet. The ink is pushed through a nozzle, where the paper waits to receive it. When the bubble collapses, more ink rushes in to fill the void and it starts the process over again.
Epson Uses Piezoelectric Technology
Epson printers are prized among home photo printers for their unique piezoelectric print technology. Piezoelectric technology involves crystals that vibrate, forcing the ink out through nozzles and onto the paper. Piezoelectric print technology enables Epson printers to print much more precise photo prints, and it is the preferred print technology among photo enthusiasts seeking inexpensive home photo printers.
Dye Sublimation
Thermal photo printers are the most popular and inexpensive, but dye-sublimation printers offer the most realistic-looking home photo prints. Dye sublimation printers use ribbons of transparent film with different colors create the colors on the paper. A print head heats and vaporizes the film as it passes over the paper, leaving ink directly on the paper. Because this technology doesn't use dot printing, its gradual gradations are more realistic and more like a photo-lab print.
Choosing Printer Paper
The thermal printing used in inkjet printers is different than the thermal printing in piezoelectric printers, which differs still from dye-sublimation printing. Different types of photo printers work best with different types of paper. If you're shopping for a photo printer and you want to print on a specific type of paper, consult the owner's manual for your printer to see what types of paper are recommended.
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