The imaging drum is the heart of the laser printer or the copier. It transfers the print image, consisting of toner, onto the paper. An imaging drum is also called OPC, imaging unit or just drum by some manufacturers. A dirty or worn out drum reduces extremely the printing quality of a laser printer.
How long does an imaging drum last?
Drum units typically last for 10,000 to 50,000 printed pages, depending on the quality of the printer and unit. Your printer will exhibit warning signs of the drum unit’s deterioration so you can replace it before it stops working.
Do all printers have imaging drums?
It depends on the brand of your laser printer. Most HP laser printers have the drum unit incorporated into the toner cartridge. But for Brother laser printers, the drum units come separately so you will need to replace these in addition to the toner cartridges.
Is imaging drum same as toner?
Toner is the powder ink that latches on to the paper to create text and images. It is stored in the toner cartridge. An image drum is the unit that copies the text and images from the computer and then transfers them to the paper, along with the toner.
What happens if you don’t replace the drum in a printer?
It may come as a surprise for some, but drum units need to be replaced every so often to keep up the quality of the printing. Drums are the shell that toner cartridges are placed in and allow for the toner to adhere to the paper.
Do I need to replace imaging drum?
You should replace it when your image quality declines and does not improve even after changing your toner. Or simply replace your drum when your printer notifies you to do so. When the replace drum light or message comes on, your printer might stop working without much notice.
How do I know if my laser printer drum is bad?
The most obvious is most common on laser color printers and can be detected by a flashing message on the printer display screen. Other signs of a bad printer drum include printing blank pages, printing gray pages and strange sounds coming from the printer as it prints.
Why does my laser printer leave streaks?
Streaking is usually caused by a worn out drum unit or spent toner cartridge. Remove the cartridge and rock it back and forth a few times over a trashcan to evenly redistribute the toner powder. Some toner powder may emit from the cartridge as you do this. Reinstall the toner cartridge and run a test print.
Can you clean a printer drum?
Look for chunks of toner on the drum unit. After you have removed the chunks of toner, dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol. Carefully wipe off any dirty areas visible on the drum. If the drum unit is dirty, apply some rubbing alcohol onto your lint-free cloth and carefully wipe the body of the drum unit.
