A section of consumers tends to confuse between toner cartridges and drum units. Some even wonder about the one to replace when they face some printing challenge.
We make it clear in today’s piece. We review the difference between these two seemingly confusing printer consumables.
What Is a Toner Cartridge?
Printers use toner to print. Toner is that powder that sticks on the paper after a complete print job. The toner is enclosed in a container, now called a toner cartridge. Toner cartridges come in different shapes depending on the printer model.
Toner cartridges are sold based on the color of the toner inside. When you order a black cartridge, it means that the toner powder inside is black. It’s available in four colors; Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. The four colors form a popular combination known as CYMK.
What Is a Drum Unit?
The printer drum is sometimes referred to as a photosensitive drum or imaging unit. It takes the shape of a cylinder and is situated close to the toner cartridge.
Drums for the high-volume printers come in green color. Those for small-size printers are mostly deep maroon. Its size is equal to that of a paper. It needs to cover the width or length of the paper as it passes over the drum.
It doesn’t matter the color or size; they all play the same role in printing. It attracts the toner powder from the toner cartridge and transfers it onto paper. It applies electrostatic polarities enabling toner attraction and transfers to a paper.
Different parts of the drum will be charged depending on the image to be printed. The charged sections attract the toner from the cartridge. The attracted toner will create an image on the drum’s surface. This is the image that will be transferred onto the paper. The parts without charges will remain neutral and will not attract the toner.
Differences between Toner Cartridge and Drum Unit
This section reviews the differences between printer drum units and toner cartridges. We compare the following parameters:
- Differences in their functions
- Compositional difference
- When to replace and
- Cost difference
Toner Cartridge and Drum Unit Difference
| Parameters to Compare | Compatible Drum Unit | Compatible Toner Cartridge |
| What it is | It’s cylindrical equipment located near the toner cartridge. It’s a photoconductive element. | It’s a container that houses the toner powder. Toner is now the print medium. |
| Function | The function of the drum unit is to attract toner from the cartridge and transfer it onto paper. | The Toner cartridge’s function is to hold the toner. |
| Composition | The drum unit forms an image that will be transferred with the help of electric charges. | The cartridge contains toner. This is a printing powder that appears in four different colors. A combination of different color toner will form a colored image. |
| When to replace | You’d need to replace the toner after three or four rounds of toner cartridges. The printouts will get blurry, contain some strokes or come with spots. | You will need to replace the cartridge when the toner is exhausted. Prints tend to get faint. |
| Cost | Drum units tend to cost more than toner cartridges. | Toner cartridges are cheaper than drum units. |
| Which one is more important | The drum unit and toner cartridges should be there for a successful print job. None of them is more superior to the other. |
Now you understand the differences between printer drum units and toner cartridges. This guide also seeks to clarify the difference between standalone and integrated Cartridges.
Standalone Vs. Integrated Cartridges
There are two possible scenarios:
One is where the drum unit is incorporated into the toner cartridge. The other is when the toner cartridge and drum unit are two independent elements.
The decision on which one to consider depends on your printer type. This is not something you will wake up one morning and decide for your printer. Some printers are designed to use standalone cartridges, while others use integrated ones. You’d need to decide on the one to go for while buying the printer. This section compares the two scenarios and helps you make that decision.
Let’s explore the two cases:
1. Separate Drum Unit and Toner Cartridges
Printers like Konica Minolta have two separate slots for toner cartridge and drum. When you exhaust the toner, you will only source the toner cartridge. Similarly, you will replace the drum alone when it’s at the end of its useful life.
Your printer will notify you when you have exhausted the toner. You will know the color needed, and you will insert the respective cartridge.
It’s a little different with drum units. Not all printers will notify users when the drum is at its end of useful life. It will be upon you to be vigilant and observe the signs. To be safe, buy a new drum for every three or four toner cartridges. Otherwise, the quality of your prints will decrease after extended use of the drum.
2. Toner and Drum Unit Integrated into One Cartridge
Some printers use toner and drum integrated into one cartridge. Your printer will notify you when you exhaust the toner. In most cases, you will be throwing away a cartridge that has a drum in good shape.
These cartridges are more expensive as manufacturers incur extra production costs. They will charge for toner, cartridge, and the drum unit. You will incur a higher printing cost if your printer uses such cartridges. If the drum gets damaged, you will have to replace the whole unit. That is regardless of whether you still have toner in the cartridge.
The only advantage is you will never have to worry about drum replacements.
The table below summarizes their differences:
Comparison of Standalone Vs. Integrated Cartridges
| Parameters to Compare | Separate Drum Units and Toner Cartridges | Toner and Drum Unit Integrated into One Cartridge |
| Printing cost | The cost of printing with these cartridges is low. It’s cheaper to buy independent units than integrated cartridges. | It will increase the printing cost. Toner cartridges incorporated with drum units are more expensive. |
| Environmentally friendliness | This one is environmentally friendly. You will only need to dispose the drums when it’s no longer usable. You will use it with about four cartridges. | Prone to environmental pollution. Most drum units in good shape will unnecessarily end up in landfills. |
| User-friendliness | The prospect of replacing toner cartridges and drum units independently could take time. | You will only need to replace the toner cartridge, and it will come with a drum. You will never have to check the productivity of the drum unit. |
Conclusion
Toner cartridges and drum units are two distinct components of a laser printer. Their functions vary but work for the same mission. The Toner cartridge presents the toner, while drums attract and transfer to the paper. The toner is now the printing medium that is melted on the paper.
Being observant of the print quality will help you know the element to change. Replace the toner cartridge if you get faint prints. If you get smudges, strokes, and blurry prints, the probable culprit is the drum unit.
You can always find these two components with us at Ikalor.com. Our mission remains to manufacture and supply quality compatible printer products globally. Our products cost way lower than OEM. Contact us now.
