Impact printer

Impact printer refers to a class of printers that operate by directly contacting an ink ribbon against paper to print text or images. This mechanism contrasts with non-impact printers, such as laser printers and inkjet printers, which do not require physical contact between the printing mechanism and paper. Impact printers are known for their durability and ability to produce carbon and carbonless copies, making them suitable for printing multipart forms in business environments.

Types of Impact Printers

There are several types of impact printers, each employing a different method to transfer ink onto paper:

Dot Matrix Printer

The Dot matrix printer is the most common type of impact printer. It prints by striking a small dot-matrix head against an ink-soaked ribbon, with the head consisting of a matrix of tiny pins. The arrangement of pins striking the ribbon forms characters and graphics on the paper. Dot matrix printers are versatile, capable of printing multiple copies at once using carbonless copy paper and are often used in point-of-sale systems and industrial environments.

Daisy Wheel Printer

Daisy wheel printers operate similarly to a typewriter, with a wheel or "daisy" containing each character on a separate petal. The wheel spins to position the correct character before striking it against the ribbon and paper. Daisy wheel printers are known for producing high-quality, typewriter-like text but are slower and less versatile than dot matrix printers, limiting their use to text-only documents.

Line Printer

Line printers, also known as line-at-a-time printers, are high-speed impact printers that print an entire line of text at once. They are typically used in large computer centers for bulk printing tasks, such as printing reports or invoices. Line printers use a variety of mechanisms, including drum, chain, and band printers, to achieve their high-speed output.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Impact printers have several advantages, including the ability to print on multipart forms and produce carbon copies, durability in harsh environments, and relatively low operating costs. However, they also have disadvantages, such as noise, lower print quality compared to non-impact printers, and limited graphics capabilities.

Current Use

With the advent of quieter, higher-quality non-impact printers, the use of impact printers has declined in many office environments. However, they remain popular in specific applications where their unique capabilities are required, such as in industrial settings, point-of-sale systems, and back-office operations.

See Also

• Printer (computing)
• Non-impact printer
• Laser printer
• Inkjet printer

Impact printer Resources
Need Help Finding a Doctor? WikiMD's DocFinder can help find general and specialist physicians.	Latest articles Most recent articles Ongoing trials.