Help Center - Inkjet Printers Use Ink Cartridges

As their name suggests, inkjet printers require ink cartridges. The liquid ink inside the cartridge is locked in an airtight foil compartment. The ink cartridges are loaded into the print head, which is fitted with numerous microscopic ink nozzles. As the print head moves back and forth across the paper, the nozzles create the image with droplets of ink. The technology responsible for controlling the jets in an inkjet printer varies depending on the brand and model. For example, thermal bubble printers use heat to control ink flow, while piezoelectric printers rely on electrically charged vibrations. In either case, information sent from the computer dictates exactly how the printer applies the ink from the cartridges.