# FAQ: Understanding Color Laser Printers



## Deborah Sexton (Jan 16, 2007)

Q. What does the term “LED printer” mean? 

A. There are different technologies and methods used in today’s color laser printers. LED, which stands for light-emitting diode, is one of them. It is the newest technology and considered to be cutting edge. 

Printers with LED technology have a light-emitting diode in the print head, which is used as a light source within the imaging device. Unlike laser systems, the LED print head is solid state and has no moving parts. The LED bar pulse-flashes across the entire page width and creates the image on the print drum as it moves down.

Q. What are the advantages of LED as a light source?

A. With a LED print head the dot size is smaller (compared to other methods), which results in more accurate output. Smaller dots allow for a wider range of shading, which also improves print quality. Because LED light sources have no moving parts, they are more reliable than other technologies that have moving parts, which can break down over time. LED also is smaller and more compact using less energy and material resources.


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