A printer that sees a lot of use needs periodic replacement of two items: the toner cartridge and the drum. Understanding what makes these components different helps you maximize printer uptime ...

A better registration of color is obtained by transferring the ink to the drum first ... acquired by Xerox in 2000, pioneered the solid ink printer market with its crayonlike cartridges.

The printer melts the ink and then jets it onto a drum. The drum rolls around once before printing an image on paper. The ink, a polymeric resin, feels like crayon to the touch.