Inkjet printer is a device used to print text and illustrations created using a computer. It uses a high-speed nozzle to spray a thin jet of fast-drying ink onto paper, fabrics, or other substrates (base materials) that are fed through the printer. Before spraying the ink, the printer separates it into droplets by heating or vibrating it. The printer responds to instructions from software in the computer. This software instructs the printer to rapidly turn the jet on and off and controls the jet’s direction in order to form the desired printed output.
Most inkjet printers can print in either black or full color. To produce a full range of color, most printers have separate tanks holding black, cyan (blue-green), magenta (purplish-red), and yellow inks. Most inkjet printers produce the sharpest images when used with specially treated substrates. Printing on glossy or matte (dull-surfaced) paper can produce better images than using plain paper.
Inkjet printers can produce detailed, colorful images, yet they are relatively inexpensive to buy and operate. Thus, many users of home computers own inkjet printers. The printers are also used in business applications and desktop publishing (the use of personal computers to design and edit publications).
