In an inkjet printer, letters and images are created by squirting drops of ink horizontally at a sheet of paper from a rapidly moving nozzle.

In an inkjet printer, letters and images are created by squirting drops of ink horizontally at a sheet of paper from a rapidly moving nozzle. The pattern on the paper is controlled by an electrostatic valve that determines at each nozzle position whether ink is squirted onto the paper or not.