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Choose a Printer: Impact Printers

What impact printers are good for

In this section, we'll discuss three types of printers: line matrix, serial dot matrix, and band printers, all of which are frequently lumped together as "impact" printers. While there are many similarities among these technologies, there are as many differences.

Band printers

Band printers impact the paper the same way typewriters do - with fully formed embossed characters like you'd find on the ball of an old Selectric typewriter. This approach prohibits band printers from printing graphical output or varying the size of a printed character. As a result, the use of band printers has decreased dramatically.

Dot matrix printers

Line matrix and Serial dot matrix printers both form characters by impact printing of dot patterns. They differ in size, speed, and print head construction. Serial dot matrix printers and Line matrix printers (both considered "impact printers") are the only game in town when it comes to printing multi-part forms. The non-impact technologies, such as laser and thermal, cannot make multiple copies in one pass. Because of their design differences, Line matrix printers are much faster than Serial dot matrix printers, and their print mechanisms are far more reliable. Both Line matrix and Serial dot matrix printers produce dots that are larger than those produced by laser and thermal technologies, dot spacing being in the range of 100 to 200 dpi.

Line matrix printers

Line matrix printers print dot patterns by moving paper vertically past a print head with a horizontal array of print pins. The line matrix print head is the full width of the paper, with typically 66 or 132 print pins, each pin printing one or two character columns. With each small horizontal movement of the printhead, (the shuttle motion is only about 10 mm) one complete row of dots is printed across the page. The paper is then moved up one dot height, and the print head prints another dot row - this process is repeated until a complete line of characters is formed, from top to bottom. With shuttle speeds of 100 - 400 swings per second, print speeds approaching 2,000 character lines per minute are possible. Line matrix printers use inexpensive ribbons and are great for long, unattended print runs. These printers are highly robust and print comfortably at high speeds for long periods of time. Line matrix printers are larger, faster, and more expensive than their Serial dot matrix relatives.

Serial dot matrix printers

Serial dot matrix printers print dot patterns by moving a print head with a vertical array of pins from side to side across the paper. The Serial matrix print head has far fewer print pins than a Line matrix printer, typically 9 to 24 print pins. As the print head is carried accross the page, a complete line of characters is formed. The paper is then moved up one line, and the print head is again carried accross the page, printing another line of characters. Serial dot matrix printers are smaller, slower, and less expensive solutions than Line matrix printers.

Dot matrix printers are cost effective

The visual quality of dot matrix text and graphical output is, as you would expect, not as crisply defined as laser or thermal output. However, on a cost per page basis, dot matrix printers are a much less expensive way to print a page. For many applications, the quality of dot matrix printing meets all the requirements. With their wide carriage capabilities, dot matrix printers are highly versatile - printing MIS reports, labels, shipping tickets, invoices, production tags, just about anything.

Impact printers well suited for industrial applications

They are commonly used in industrial applications and last for many years. They are well-suited to printing in harsh environments, like factories and loading docks. Dot matrix printers are superior in handling complex forms and they can print on a very broad range of materials.

Dot matrix printer or line matrix printer

The serial dot matrix printer's advantage is that it provides useful, low volume impact printing. While serial matrix printer purchase prices are usually lower than line matrix printers, they are not nearly as reliable, have lower duty cycles, and their ribbons are more expensive.

(4 of 6)   Next: Going beyond the Dots