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Laser Printer Fuser Problems

laser printer fusersThe laser printer fuser works in chorus with the laser printer drum to complete printing tasks. It prevents any ink from smearing on your paper because it is what bonds the toner to the paper.

  • What makes up the fusing process? - The two things that occur to make the fusing work are pressure and heat. After going through the drum of the laser printer where the ink is placed on the paper, then it goes through the two rollers that make up the fuser.
  • How does the laser printer fuser heat? - To reach the temperatures needed, a quartz tube lamp is warmed up inside the roller responsible for heat. This lamp is thermostatically controlled and begins the heating process as the laser printer is turned on. This lamp cools down and remains cooled while the printer is in sleep mode.
  • How does the image get to the paper and stay? - The drum is responsible for placing the plastic based toner electrostatically on the paper. After it gets to the fuser, the heat roller melts the toner and then as it goes through the roller responsible for pressure, it is bonded to the paper. The same process occurs in photocopiers to produce their finished sheets.
  • What can you do to troubleshoot the fuser? - The fuser unfortunately is where problems with laser printers frequently occur. A variety of things can happen to make it malfunction such as accumulation of paper dust or of toner residue. When this occurs, it can result in scratches on the roller which can then leave unsightly marks on your paper or with a large scratch, for toner to not even be fully fused to the paper and subject to smears. Other things that can occur are the quartz tube lamp burning out, or the thermostat going bad.
  • How do you replace the fuser? - The first thing about replacing a fuser that is important is that you let it cool completely before attempting any repairs. When heated, fusers reach temperatures up to a few hundred degrees. Once removed, this can make it easier to remove any dust or debris from the inside of the machine. If your printer provides any information in regards to a fuser error, it is most likely that the fuser did not heat properly, got too hot, or not hot enough.
  • How much does it cost? - Replacing a laser printer fuser is not always a cheap option, but a properly working fuser can yield up to as much as 100,000 pages. Depending on the brand, you can find a fuser assembly for as little as $75 and as much as $400. Need one for your printer? Contact us - we'll help you identify exactly what's needed to get your printer performing at its peak!'

About William Elward

Founder of Castle Ink, William Elward has 20 years experience in the printer industry. He's been featured on CNN Money, Yahoo, PC World, Computer World, and other top publications and frequently blogs about printers and ink cartridges. He's an expert at diagnosing printer issues and has published guides to fixing common printer issues across the internet. A graduate of Bryant University and Columbia's Sulzberger Executive Leadership Program, he's held various leadership positions at The College Board, Bankrate, Zocdoc, and Everyday Health. Follow him on Twitter at William Elward's Twitter Profile