PRINTER
A printer is an output device that produces a physical (hard) copy of digital documents, images, or
graphics stored on a computer or other digital device. It is commonly used in homes, offices, and
commercial settings. Here's a brief overview:
Printer Features
Print Resolution (measured in DPI - dots per inch): Affects the sharpness of text and
images.
Print Speed (measured in PPM - pages per minute): How fast a printer can output
documents.
Connectivity: USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Ethernet, or Cloud printing.
Duplex Printing: Ability to print on both sides of the paper.
Multifunction (All-in-One) Printers: Combine printing, scanning, copying, and faxing.
🔹 Common Uses
Office documents
School assignments
Photographs
Labels and barcodes
Art and design work
3D prototypes
All Types of Impact Printers
1. Character Printers
These print one character at a time.
✅ Dot Matrix Printer
Uses a grid (usually 9, 18, or 24 pins) to form characters and graphics.
Common in billing systems and industrial settings.
Can print carbon copies.
✅ Daisy Wheel Printer
Uses a wheel with pre-formed characters (like petals on a daisy).
High-quality text, but cannot print graphics.
Very slow and noisy.
2. Line Printers
These print an entire line at a time, making them faster.
✅ Chain Printer (Band Printer)
Uses a rotating chain or band with characters on it.
A hammer hits the paper and ribbon when the desired character passes by.
Very fast (up to 3000 lines per minute).
Used in mainframe environments.
✅ Drum Printer
Uses a cylindrical drum with characters on it.
Each column of print has its own hammer.
Good for high-volume, fixed-format printing.
3. Other Impact Printers
✅ Ball Printer (Type Ball Printer)
Similar to a daisy wheel but uses a spherical ball with characters on it.
Found in some old IBM Selectric typewriters.
High-quality character output.
✅ Bar Printer
Uses a print bar with characters embossed on it.
A hammer strikes behind the paper when the correct character is aligned.
Less common today.
🔸 Summary Table
Graphics
Type Prints By Speed Print Quality Use Case
Support
Receipts, invoices, multi-part
Dot Matrix Pins/Dots Moderate Low–Medium Yes
forms
Wheel with High (text
Daisy Wheel Slow No Letters, official documents
chars only)
Chain/Band Rotating chain Very Fast Medium No Mainframe printing
Drum Rotating drum Very Fast Medium No Data centers
High (text
Ball Typing ball Moderate No Typewriters, early computers
only)
Bar Fixed print bar Moderate Medium No Industrial or legacy systems
Dot Matrix Printer – Detailed Description
A Dot Matrix Printer is a type of impact printer that produces characters and images by striking
pins against an ink ribbon to print closely spaced dots in the shape of letters or graphics on
paper.
🔹 How It Works
The printer has a print head containing a matrix of tiny pins (usually 9, 18, or 24).
These pins strike an inked ribbon to transfer ink onto the paper in the form of dots.
By combining these dots, the printer can form text characters or images.
The head moves horizontally across the page as it prints, while the paper feeds
vertically.
🔹 Key Features
Feature Description
Impact Type Mechanical pins strike the ribbon
Pins Typically 9, 18, or 24 (higher = better quality)
Speed Medium (50–500 characters per second)
Feature Description
Print Quality Low to medium (suitable for rough text/graphics)
Noise Noisy during operation
Graphics Can print basic graphics
Paper Can use continuous feed paper and carbon copies
Advantages
✅ Can print multi-part forms (carbon copies)
✅ Low running cost
✅ Reliable for industrial and office use
✅ Good for continuous or large-volume printing
Disadvantages
❌ Noisy
❌ Low resolution compared to inkjet or laser printers
❌ Limited in producing high-quality images or fine text
Common Uses
Invoices and receipts
Bank transaction logs
Railway reservation systems
Industrial and retail environments
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daisy Wheel Printer – Detailed Description
A Daisy Wheel Printer is an impact character printer that produces high-quality text by striking
a pre-formed character from a spinning wheel (called a daisy wheel) onto paper using an ink
ribbon.
🔹 Why It's Called a Daisy Wheel
The print mechanism resembles a daisy flower:
The wheel has metal or plastic "petals".
Each petal has a raised character (like a letter or number).
The wheel rotates to position the correct character in front of the hammer.
The hammer strikes the petal, pushing the character through the ribbon and onto the
paper.
🔹 How It Works
1. The daisy wheel rotates to bring the desired character into position.
2. A small hammer strikes the character, pressing it against the ink ribbon and onto the
paper.
3. The carriage moves horizontally, printing one character at a time.
🔹 Key Features
Feature Description
Impact Type Mechanical strike with character-shaped petals
Print Quality Very high (similar to typewriters)
Speed Slow (10–90 characters per second)
Graphics ❌ Cannot print graphics
Noise Loud during printing
Fonts Changeable by replacing the daisy wheel
🔹 Advantages
✅ Excellent text quality (letter-quality)
✅ Durable and reliable for basic document printing
✅ Font styles can be changed by swapping wheels
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ Slow printing speed
❌ Very noisy
❌ Can only print text, not images or graphics
❌ Cannot print on multi-part forms
🔹 Common Uses (Historically)
Professional letters and documents
Early word processors
Office environments needing typewriter-quality print
Summary
Feature Daisy Wheel Printer
Print Type Impact (Character)
Print Quality Very High (Letter quality)
Speed Very Slow
Graphics ❌ Not supported
Common Use Letters, formal documents
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chain Printer – Detailed Description
A Chain Printer (also known as a Band Printer) is a line impact printer that prints an entire line
of text at once using a rotating chain of characters. It is commonly used in high-volume printing
environments like data centers and banks.
🔹 How It Works
1. The printer contains a rotating chain or band with pre-formed characters on it.
2. Each column of print has a hammer behind the paper.
3. As the chain moves at high speed across the paper:
o When the desired character aligns with the correct column, a hammer strikes
the paper from behind.
o The character is pressed through an ink ribbon onto the paper.
4. This process is repeated for each column to complete a line of text.
🔹 Key Features
Feature Description
Print Type Impact (Line printer)
Speed Very high (up to 3000 lines per minute)
Print Quality Medium (fixed fonts only)
Graphics ❌ Not supported
Noise Loud during printing
Characters Fixed set on chain; limited font variety
Advantages
✅ Very fast printing (ideal for bulk jobs)
✅ Reliable for high-volume business environments
✅ Suitable for printing multi-part forms (carbon copies)
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ No graphics capability
❌ Noisy
❌ Font flexibility is limited (changing fonts requires changing the chain)
🔹 Common Uses
Bank statements
Payroll processing
Utility bills
Reports in data centers
Mainframe system output
Summary Table
Feature Chain Printer
Print Type Impact (Line)
Speed Very High (1000–3000 LPM)
Print Quality Medium
Graphics ❌ Not supported
Usage Bulk printing, reports
Drum Printer – Detailed Description
A Drum Printer is a high-speed line impact printer that prints one entire line of text at a time
by striking characters embossed on a rotating drum against an ink ribbon and paper. It was
widely used in early data processing and large-scale computing environments.
🔹 How It Works
1. A large cylindrical drum rotates at high speed.
2. The drum is engraved with repeated sets of characters (A–Z, 0–9, symbols) around its
circumference, one set per print position (column).
3. Behind the paper, there is a row of electromagnetic hammers, one for each print
position.
4. When the desired character rotates into place at a given column:
o The hammer strikes the paper from behind.
o The character is imprinted through the ink ribbon onto the paper.
This process happens simultaneously across the entire line, enabling high-speed line printing.
🔹 Key Features
Feature Description
Print Type Impact (Line printer)
Printing Speed Very high (300–2000 lines per minute)
Print Quality Medium (fixed, monospaced fonts)
Graphics Support ❌ Not supported
Font Flexibility ❌ Limited to characters engraved on the drum
Noise Level Loud
🔹 Advantages
✅ Very fast printing for large volumes
✅ Reliable for repetitive jobs like reports or logs
✅ Suitable for multi-part forms (carbon copies)
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ No graphics support
❌ Fixed character set (changing fonts requires replacing the drum)
❌ Bulky and noisy
❌ Largely obsolete today
🔹 Common Uses (Historically)
Data centers and mainframes
Government and enterprise reporting
Bank statements, payroll, inventory logs
Summary Table
Feature Drum Printer
Print Method Impact (Line-based)
Speed Very high (300–2000 LPM)
Print Quality Medium
Graphics ❌ Not supported
Font Flexibility ❌ Fixed (engraved on drum)
Common Use Data centers, reports
Ball Printer – Detailed Description
A Ball Printer, also known as a Type Ball Printer or Golf Ball Printer, is an impact
character printer that uses a spherical print element (a "type ball") with characters embossed on
its surface. It was made famous by the IBM Selectric typewriter and some early computer
terminals.
🔹 How It Works
1. The printer contains a spherical ball (type ball) with characters arranged on its surface.
2. When a character needs to be printed:
o The ball rotates and tilts rapidly to bring the desired character into position.
o A hammer strikes the ball, pressing the character through an ink ribbon onto the
paper.
3. The carriage or the paper moves horizontally, and the process repeats for each character.
Key Features
Feature Description
Print Type Impact (Character)
Print Head Rotating type ball with embossed characters
Speed Moderate (faster than daisy wheel)
Print Quality Very high (letter-quality text)
Graphics Support ❌ Not supported
Noise Level Moderate
Font Options Swappable type balls for different fonts
Advantages
✅ High-quality text output
✅ Font styles can be changed by swapping the type ball
✅ More durable and faster than daisy wheel printers
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ Slow compared to modern printers
❌ No graphics or image printing
❌ Obsolete technology (no longer widely used)
🔹 Common Uses (Historically)
IBM Selectric typewriters
Early word processors
Business letters, official documents
Terminals connected to mainframe computers
Summary Table
Feature Ball Printer
Print Type Impact (Character)
Speed Moderate
Print Quality Very High (letter-quality)
Graphics Support ❌ Not supported
Feature Ball Printer
Font Flexibility ✅ Swappable balls
Common Use Typewriters, early terminals
Bar Printer – Detailed Description
A Bar Printer is a type of impact printer that uses a fixed print bar containing characters or
symbols to print an entire line at a time by striking the paper through an ink ribbon.
🔹 How It Works
1. The printer has a fixed bar (a solid metal or plastic strip) with characters embossed or
engraved on it.
2. The paper and ink ribbon are positioned in front of the bar.
3. Behind the paper, hammers or solenoids strike the paper at the exact moments when the
desired characters on the bar align with the print columns.
4. This creates the printed line by transferring the characters from the bar onto the paper
simultaneously.
Key Features
Feature Description
Print Type Impact (Line printer)
Print Speed High (faster than character printers)
Print Quality Medium (limited by fixed character set)
Graphics Support ❌ Not supported
Noise Level Loud
Font Flexibility ❌ Limited (fixed characters on the bar)
Advantages
✅ Fast printing speeds suitable for bulk printing
✅ Reliable for continuous printing tasks
✅ Can print multi-part forms with carbon copies
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ Limited to a fixed set of characters (no font changes without replacing the bar)
❌ Cannot print graphics
❌ Noisy operation
❌ Rarely used in modern printing due to obsolescence
Common Uses
Bulk printing in industrial environments
Printing multi-part forms
Early business and data center printing tasks
🟡 Summary Table
Feature Bar Printer
Print Method Impact (Line printer)
Speed High
Print Quality Medium
Graphics ❌ Not supported
Font Flexibility ❌ Fixed
Usage Bulk forms, industrial
Thermal Printer – Detailed Description
A Thermal Printer is a type of non-impact printer that produces images by selectively heating
special heat-sensitive paper. It does not use ink, toner, or ribbons; instead, it relies on chemical
reactions triggered by heat.
🔹 How It Works
The printer contains a thermal print head made up of tiny heating elements.
When the printer wants to print a dot, the corresponding heating element heats up.
The heat causes a chemical reaction on the thermal paper, which turns black (or changes
color).
By selectively heating elements as the paper moves, the printer forms text and images.
🔹 Types of Thermal Printers
1. Direct Thermal Printer
o Prints directly on heat-sensitive thermal paper.
o Paper darkens when heated.
o Common in receipts, shipping labels, and tickets.
o Paper is sensitive to heat, light, and abrasion and can fade over time.
2. Thermal Transfer Printer
o Uses a ribbon coated with wax or resin.
o The thermal head melts the ribbon ink onto regular paper or labels.
o Produces more durable and long-lasting prints.
o Used for barcode labels, ID cards, and industrial labeling.
Key Features
Feature Description
Print Method Non-impact (heat-based)
Speed Fast
Print Quality Good for text and simple graphics
Color Printing Mostly monochrome (some color ribbons in thermal transfer)
Noise Level Very quiet
Maintenance Low (no ink or toner needed)
Consumables Thermal paper or ribbon
Advantages
✅ Fast and quiet printing
✅ Low maintenance (no ink or toner)
✅ Compact and lightweight
✅ Good for portable or point-of-sale (POS) devices
✅ Can print on special labels and tags
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ Direct thermal prints can fade or darken with heat, light, or time
❌ Limited to mostly monochrome printing
❌ Thermal transfer ribbons add cost and consumable needs
🔹 Common Uses
Retail receipts
Shipping and barcode labels
Tickets (bus, cinema, events)
Medical and laboratory labels
Portable printing devices
Inkjet Printer – Detailed Description
An Inkjet Printer is a non-impact printer that produces images by spraying tiny droplets of
liquid ink directly onto paper. It is popular for home and office use due to its ability to print high-
quality color images and text.
🔹 How It Works
The printer has one or more print heads containing microscopic nozzles.
These nozzles spray very small droplets of ink (usually in picoliters) onto the paper.
The ink droplets form text and images by precisely placing colors and shades.
Two common technologies for spraying ink:
o Thermal Bubble: Heats ink to create a bubble that forces a droplet out.
o Piezoelectric: Uses a crystal that vibrates to push ink droplets out.
🔹 Key Features
Feature Description
Print Method Non-impact (sprays ink droplets)
Print Quality High (excellent for photos and graphics)
Color Printing Yes, supports full-color printing
Speed Moderate (slower than laser printers)
Noise Level Quiet
Maintenance Requires regular cleaning and ink replacement
Consumables Ink cartridges (color and black)
🔹 Advantages
✅ High-quality color printing, including photos
✅ Can print on a variety of media types (photo paper, labels, fabric)
✅ Generally lower initial cost compared to laser printers
✅ Compact and suitable for home use
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ Ink cartridges can be expensive and run out quickly
❌ Ink may smudge if not dried properly
❌ Slower print speeds, especially for text documents
❌ Requires regular maintenance to prevent clogging
🔹 Common Uses
Home printing of photos and documents
Small office printing
Creative printing on specialty papers
Color graphics and presentations
Laser Printer – Detailed Description
A Laser Printer is a non-impact printer that uses a laser beam and static electricity to produce
high-quality text and graphics on paper quickly and efficiently.
🔹 How It Works
1. A laser beam scans back and forth across a photosensitive drum, creating an
electrostatic image by discharging specific areas.
2. The drum is then coated with toner (fine powdered ink), which sticks to the charged
areas.
3. The toner is transferred from the drum onto the paper.
4. The paper passes through a fuser unit, where heat and pressure permanently bond the
toner to the paper.
5. The drum is cleaned and prepared for the next print cycle.
🔹 Key Features
Feature Description
Print Method Non-impact (laser and toner-based)
Print Quality Very high (sharp text and detailed graphics)
Speed Fast (20–100+ pages per minute)
Color Printing Available (color laser printers)
Noise Level Quiet to moderate
Maintenance Toner replacement, occasional cleaning
Consumables Toner cartridges, imaging drums
Advantages
✅ Fast printing speeds ideal for large volumes
✅ Crisp, professional-quality text and graphics
✅ Toner lasts longer than ink cartridges
✅ Low cost per page for high-volume printing
✅ Less smudging and better durability of prints
🔹 Disadvantages
❌ Higher initial cost than inkjet printers
❌ Color laser printers are more expensive
❌ Larger and heavier than inkjet printers
❌ Toner dust can be a minor health concern if inhaled
🔹 Common Uses
Offices and businesses with heavy printing needs
Professional document production
High-volume black-and-white or color printing
Printing brochures, reports, and presentations
comparison of the technology used and typical speed for each printer type we
discussed:
Printer Type Technology Used Typical Speed
Dot Matrix Impact; print head with pins striking ink ribbon to 50–600 characters per
Printer form dots second (cps)
Daisy Wheel Impact; rotating wheel with character petals struck by 30–90 characters per
Printer hammer second
Impact; rotating chain with characters, column 1500–3000 lines per
Chain Printer
hammers strike when character aligns minute (lpm)
Impact; rotating drum with characters, hammers strike 300–2000 lines per
Drum Printer
when character aligns minute
Printer Type Technology Used Typical Speed
Impact; spherical type ball rotates & tilts to position 15–30 characters per
Ball Printer
character, hammer strikes second
Impact; fixed character bar with hammers striking Up to 600 lines per
Bar Printer
paper at correct positions minute
Thermal Non-impact; thermal print head heats heat-sensitive 20–300 mm/sec (varies
Printer paper or ribbon by model)
Non-impact; tiny ink droplets sprayed from nozzles 5–20 pages per minute
Inkjet Printer
onto paper (ppm)
Non-impact; laser creates electrostatic image on drum, 20–100+ pages per
Laser Printer
toner fused to paper minute (ppm)
Quick Notes:
Impact printers (dot matrix, daisy wheel, chain, drum, ball, bar) physically strike the
paper, generally slower for characters but some line printers are very fast.
Non-impact printers (thermal, inkjet, laser) don’t strike paper, often quieter and faster.
Line printers (chain, drum, bar) print whole lines at once, so they have very high line-
per-minute speeds.
Character printers (dot matrix, daisy wheel, ball) print one character at a time, so
speeds are lower.