# laser printer

> type of printer

**Wikidata**: [Q199769](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q199769)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_printer)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/laser-printer

## Summary  
A laser printer is a type of computer peripheral that produces printed text and graphics by using a laser beam to form an electrostatic image on a photoconductor drum, which then attracts toner and transfers it to paper. It belongs to the printer class and operates on the xerographic process invented by Gary Starkweather.

## Key Facts  
- **Subclass**: Laser printer is a subclass of *printer* and of the *xerography* technology.  
- **Inventor**: The laser‑printing process was invented by **Gary Starkweather**.  
- **Core components**: It contains a **photoconductor drum**, a **laser**, a **toner cartridge**, and a **heating element**.  
- **Use case**: Primarily used for **laser printing** of documents and graphics in offices and homes.  
- **Aliases**: Known internationally as *Impresoras láser* (Spanish), *Farblaserdrucker* (German), *レーザープリンタ* (Japanese), *激光打印机* (Chinese), among others.  
- **Wikidata description**: Listed as a **type of printer**.  
- **Audio illustration**: An example sound of a laser printer is available at `https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Laser_printer,_2015-01-23.ogg`.  
- **Related entities**: Specific models such as the **Xerox 9700**, **IBM 3800**, and **Samsung Xpress SL‑C480FN** are classified as laser printers.  
- **Sitelink count**: The Wikipedia entry links to **47** language versions.  

## FAQs  
### Q: What is a laser printer?  
A: A laser printer is a printer that creates images by scanning a laser beam across a photoconductor drum, attracting toner to the charged areas, and fusing the toner onto paper with heat.  

### Q: How does a laser printer work?  
A: The laser draws an electrostatic pattern on the drum; the drum picks up toner in the patterned areas, transfers the toner onto paper, and a heating element (fuser) permanently bonds the toner to the paper.  

### Q: Who invented the laser‑printing technology?  
A: The laser‑printing process was invented by **Gary Starkweather** in the 1960s, later commercialized by companies such as Xerox.  

### Q: What are the main parts of a laser printer?  
A: The essential parts are the **photoconductor drum**, **laser assembly**, **toner cartridge**, and **heating element (fuser)**.  

### Q: Why choose a laser printer over an inkjet printer?  
A: Laser printers typically deliver faster print speeds, higher text quality, and lower cost per page for high‑volume printing compared with inkjet printers.  

## Why It Matters  
Laser printers transformed office and personal printing by delivering rapid, high‑quality output with consistent results. Their reliance on the xerographic process enables precise text rendering and sharp graphics, making them ideal for business documents, reports, and bulk printing tasks. Because they use toner rather than liquid ink, laser printers are less prone to smudging and require less frequent maintenance, reducing downtime and operational costs. The technology’s scalability—from compact desktop units to high‑capacity production models—has allowed it to dominate professional environments worldwide, supporting everything from everyday office work to large‑scale publishing. As digital workflows continue to demand fast, reliable hard‑copy production, laser printers remain a cornerstone of modern document handling.  

## Notable For  
- **Invention by Gary Starkweather**, establishing the foundation of modern laser printing.  
- **Integration of xerography**, enabling high‑speed, high‑resolution output.  
- **Core component architecture** (drum, laser, toner, fuser) that distinguishes it from ink‑based printers.  
- **Widespread adoption** across diverse models, from early Xerox Dover units to contemporary multifunction devices like the Samsung Xpress SL‑C480FN.  
- **International recognition**, reflected in numerous language aliases and extensive Wikipedia coverage (47 language links).  

## Body  

### Definition  
A laser printer is a **computer peripheral** that produces printed output by **laser‑induced electrostatic imaging** on a photoconductor drum, followed by toner application and heat‑fusing onto paper. It is classified under the **printer** and **xerography** categories.

### History and Inventor  
- **Gary Starkweather** developed the laser‑printing concept while working at Xerox in the 1960s.  
- Early commercial models, such as the **Xerox Dover**, demonstrated the feasibility of the technology.  

### Technical Components  
- **Photoconductor Drum**: Holds the electrostatic image created by the laser.  
- **Laser Assembly**: Scans the drum line‑by‑line to generate the latent image.  
- **Toner Cartridge**: Supplies powdered pigment that adheres to the charged areas of the drum.  
- **Heating Element (Fuser)**: Melts the toner onto the paper, creating a permanent print.  

### Operation Principle  
1. **Charging**: The drum receives a uniform electrostatic charge.  
2. **Exposure**: The laser discharges selected spots, forming the image pattern.  
3. **Developing**: Toner particles are attracted to the discharged areas.  
4. **Transfer**: The toner image is transferred from the drum to the paper.  
5. **Fusing**: Heat and pressure fuse the toner to the paper surface.  

### Applications  
- **Office document production**: High‑volume text printing with fast turnaround.  
- **Graphic design and publishing**: Precise rendering of line art and vector graphics.  
- **Multifunction devices**: Combined printing, scanning, copying, and faxing (e.g., Samsung Xpress SL‑C480FN).  

### Related Models and Variants  
- **Xerox 9700** – a high‑performance laser printer.  
- **IBM 3800** – a continuous‑forms laser printer for large‑scale output.  
- **Color LaserWriter** – a four‑color laser printer for color printing.  

### Standards and Identifiers  
- **Wikidata ID**: (type of printer) – linked to the entry “Laser printer”.  
- **Audio Sample**: `https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Laser_printer,_2015-01-23.ogg`.  
- **Various catalog identifiers**: GND 4166801‑7, Freebase /m/0dd37, BabelNet 00050076n, etc.  

## Schema Markup  
```json
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Thing",
  "name": "Laser printer",
  "description": "A type of printer that uses a laser beam to produce printed text and graphics via the xerographic process.",
  "url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_printer",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_printer"
  ],
  "additionalType": "Printer"
}

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
3. BabelNet
4. National Library of Israel
5. Wikibase TDKIV