Fuser

In laser printers and photocopiers, the fuser is the area where the toner becomes bonded with the paper, therefore producing an image or text onto the piece of paper. It usually consists of two fuser rollers, one typically a solid rubber roller which allows pressure to be applied, and the other a hollow tube with a heat lamp inside, which supplies the heat. The combination of heat and pressure acting upon the paper allows the toner to bond to the paper. It is a replaceable part of a laser printer or copier.

How is it used?

Fusing is the last part in the printing or copying process before the finished print is received. It is vital in ensuring that the toner is sufficiently bonded with the paper to produce a well-defined quality image.

Cheaper printers will often use a lower heat in the hollow roller but apply more pressure, therefore saving energy and requiring a less powerful bulb, but needing a longer time to print. On the other hand, more expensive printers and copiers use a much higher heat in the hollow roller and therefore require less pressure and time, and so the printing speed is greatly increased.

Fuser oil can be used to ensure a glossy finish on the copies or prints that is often associated with better quality. It is applied to the fuser; the more fuser oil that is applied results in a more glossy print. Furthermore, the fuser oil increases lubrication and can extend the life of the fuser component, which otherwise can overheat and require a costly replacement.

Why is it used?

Fusers are used in laser printing, which although has a longer “warm up” time than inkjet printing (often due to it needing to heat up) is often cheaper per page of printing or copying. Also, with the use of fuser oil it can also be deemed to create a higher quality image than inkjet printing, as it provides a pleasing glossy finish to the prints.