Friday, August 20, 2010
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we manage to point out the definition of impact printer and non-impact printer through our study and research. In addition, we also know the types of printers according to their categories. So, we can make a comparison between the two printers in order to choose which one is the best. But because of impact printer is not commonly used today, obviously the people will buy the non-impact printer which has become more popular nowadays. Nevertheless, everyone has their own purpose when it comes to choose a printer. They may choose impact printer as it is suitable for their usage. That is why it is not wrong to choose impact printer although it is not quite great as compared to non-impact printer. Thus, as now we have known their advantages and disadvantages, whether to choose impact or non-impact printer, it depends on us to choose impact printer or non-impact printer.
COMPARISON BETWEEN IMPACT PRINTER AND NON-IMPACT PRINTER
We summarized all the differences between impact printer and non-impact printer regarding to their features.
1. Descriptions :
· Impact printer - Produces text and images when tiny wire pins on print head strike the ink ribbon by physically contacting the paper
· Non-impact printer - Produces text and graphics on paper without actually striking the paper
2. Types :
· Impact printer - Dot-matrix printer
· Non-impact printer - Inkjet printer, laser printer and thermal printer
3. Speed :
· Impact printer - Low printing speed
· Non-impact printer - Reasonably fast
4. Quality :
· Impact printer - Print quality lower in some types
· Non-impact printer - High quality of output, capable of printing fine and smooth details
5. Letter quality :
· Impact printer - Produce near letter quality (NLQ) print only, which is just suitable for printing mailing labels, envelopes, or invoices
· Non-impact printer - Letter-quality printouts
6. Consumption :
· Impact printer - Not commonly used today
· Non-impact printer - Most commonly used printer today
7. Tools :
· Impact printer - Uses ink ribbon
· Non-impact printer - Uses ink spray or toner powder
8. Cost :
· Impact printer - Less expensive
· Non-impact printer - More expensive
9. Durability :
· Impact printer - Reliable, durable (lasting for a long time)
· Non-impact printer - Print head is less durable, inclined towards to clogging and damage
10. Sound effects :
· Impact printer - Generally noisy because of the striking activity
· Non-impact printer - Generally much quieter than impact printers because there is no striking mechanism
11. Image clarity :
· Impact printer - Poor graphics or none at all
· Non-impact printer - Can handle graphics and often a wider variety of fonts than impact printers
12. Multipart forms :
· Impact printer - Ideal for printing multipart forms because they can easily print through many layers of paper
· Non-impact printer - Cannot print multipart forms
13. Color output :
· Impact printer - Limited color printing
· Non-impact printer - Capable of printing in strong clear color, good for printing pictures
NON-IMPACT PRINTER
LASER PRINTER
Laser printers can print text and images in high speed and high quality resolution, ranging from 600 to 1200 dpi (dot per inch).
Unlike inkjet printers, laser printer use toner (black or colored powder) instead of liquid inks. A laser printer consists of these major components such as drum cartridge, rotating mirror, toner cartridge and roller. The drum cartridge rotates as the paper is fed through. The mirror will deflect the laser beam across the surface of the drum. Then, the laser beam creates charge that causes the toner to stick to the drum. When the drum is rotates and presses on the paper, the toner is transferred from the drum to paper to create images. Rollers then use heat and pressure to fuse toner to paper. Colored laser printers add colored toner in three additional passes.
Advantages of laser printers:1) High resolution
2) High print speed
3) No smearing
4) Low cost per page (compared to inkjet printers)
5) Printout is not sensitive to water
6) Good for high volume printing
Disadvantages of laser printers:
1) More expensive than inkjet printers
2) Except for high end machines, laser printers are less capable of printing vivid colors and high quality images such as photos.
3) The cost of toner replacement and drum replacement is high
4) Bulkier than inkjet printers
5) Warm up time needed
INKJET PRINTER
Inkjet printers print text and images by spraying tiny droplets of liquid ink onto the paper. They are the most popular printers for home use.
Currently, most inkjet printers use either thermal inkjet or piezoelectric inkjet technology. The heating elements are use to heat liquid ink to form vapor bubble, which forces the ink droplets onto the paper through the nozzle. Most inkjet manufacturers use this technology in consumer inkjet printers.
Thermal inkjet printers use aqueous ink. Aqueous ink is a mixture of water, glycol and dyes. These inks are inexpensive but they can only be used on paper or specially coated materials. Piezoelectric inkjet printers allow the use of a wider range of inks, such as solvent inks, UV-curable inks, dye sublimation inks, and can print text and graphics on different uncoated materials.
The inkjet head design is also divided into two main group which are fixed-head and disposable head. Fixed-head is built in the printer and will be permanent in it. It produces more accurate output than cheap disposable head. The ink cartridges for fixed head printers are also cheaper as the print head does not need to be replaced. However, if the head is damaged, the entire printer has to be replaced.
Disposable head is included in replacement the ink cartridge. It must be replaced each time an ink cartridge runs out of ink. This increases the cost of ink cartridges and also limits the use of high quality print head in these cartridges. However, a damaged print head is not a problem as one can easily replace it with a new ink cartridge.
Some printer manufacturers use disposable ink and disposable print head separately. The print head can last much longer than cheap disposable head and is suitable for high volume printing. However, it can also be replaced easily if the head is clogged or damaged.
Advantages of inkjet printers:
1) Low cost
2) High quality of output, capable of printing fine and smooth details
3) Capable of printing in vivid color, good for printing pictures
4) Easy to use
5) Reasonably fast
6) Quieter than dot matrix printer
7) No warm up time
Disadvantages of inkjet printers:
1) Print head is less durable, prone to clogging and damage
2) Expensive replacement ink cartridges
3) Not good for high volume printing
4) Printing speed is not as fast as laser printers
5) Ink bleeding, ink carried sideways causing blurred effects on some papers
6) Aqueous ink is sensitive to water; even a small drop of water can cause blurring
7) Cannot use highlighter marker on inkjet printouts
IRIS PRINTER
Iris printers use a patented continuous inkjet technology to produce consistent, continuous-tone, photorealistic output on several varieties of paper, canvas, silk, linen and other low-fiber textiles. Iris prints are best for their color accuracy and ability to match printing and proofing standards. Furthermore, this printer also known for their low-cost consumables compared to other technologies.
Originally developed by Iris Graphics, the hardware and technology was acquired by pre-press and imaging leader Scitex in 1990, itself then purchased by Creo Products Inc. in 2000 to spur its digital workflow forward. In 2005, Kodak purchased Creo and continued to offer the product.
SOLID INK PRINTER
Solid ink printer uses solid wax inks that are melted to a liquid before being used. Instead of jetting the ink onto the paper directly as inkjet printers do, solid ink printers jet the ink onto a drum. A better registration of color is obtained by transferring the ink to the drum first and then to the printer, because the drum can be more tightly controlled than moving paper.
IMPACT PRINTER
DOT MATRIX PRINTER
Dot-matrix printer is an impact printer that produces text and graphics when tiny wire pins on the print head strike the ink ribbon. The print head runs back and forth on the paper like a typewriter. When the ink ribbon presses on the paper, it creates dots that form text and images. Higher number of pins means that the printer prints more dots per character, thus resulting in higher print quality.
Dot-matrix printers were very popular and the most common type of printer for personal computer in 70’s to 80’s. However, their use was gradually replaced by inkjet printers in 90’s. As of today, dot matrix printers are only used in some point-of-sales terminals, or businesses where printing of carbon copy multi-part forms or data logging are needed.
Advantages of dot matrix printer:
1) Can print on multi-part forms or carbon copies
2) Low printing cost per page
3) Can be used on continuous form paper, useful for data logging
4) Reliable, durable
Disadvantages of dot matrix printer:
1) Noisy
2) Limited print quality
3) Low printing speed
4) Limited color printing
LINE MATRIX PRINTER
Line matrix printer is an impact printer that prints a line at a time. Printronix pioneered this technology in 1974. Line matrix and band printers are the surviving line printer technologies, but line matrix can print graphics, whereas band printers cannot. Line matrix resolution is in the 70 to 140 dpi range and speeds range from 400 to 1,400 lpm.
Line matrix printers offer medium resolution, monochrome printing with a very low ribbon cost. They also provide high speed; for example, printing a three-part form at 1,200 lpm is equivalent to a 65 ppm page printer. Line matrix printers can exist in harsh conditions and are often found in warehouses and other industrial environments.
The print mechanism is a row of dot hammers that is almost as wide as the page. The hammers are mounted on a shuttle that oscillates back and forth approximately two inches in a track. The hammers are magnetically released at the appropriate time and bang into a ribbon and onto the paper.
BAND PRINTER
Band printer is a line printer that uses a metal band, or loop, of type characters as its printing mechanism. The band contains a fixed set of embossed characters that can only be changed by replacing the band. The band spins horizontally around a set of hammers, one for each print column. When the required character in the band has revolved to the selected print column, the hammer pushes the paper into the ribbon and against the embossed image of the letter, digit or symbol.
Band printers can print up to approximately 2,000 lpm and can exist in very harsh industrial environments, although they are mostly used in datacenters. Band printers and line matrix printers are the two surviving line printer technologies.
Dot-matrix printer is an impact printer that produces text and graphics when tiny wire pins on the print head strike the ink ribbon. The print head runs back and forth on the paper like a typewriter. When the ink ribbon presses on the paper, it creates dots that form text and images. Higher number of pins means that the printer prints more dots per character, thus resulting in higher print quality.
Dot-matrix printers were very popular and the most common type of printer for personal computer in 70’s to 80’s. However, their use was gradually replaced by inkjet printers in 90’s. As of today, dot matrix printers are only used in some point-of-sales terminals, or businesses where printing of carbon copy multi-part forms or data logging are needed.
Advantages of dot matrix printer:
1) Can print on multi-part forms or carbon copies
2) Low printing cost per page
3) Can be used on continuous form paper, useful for data logging
4) Reliable, durable
Disadvantages of dot matrix printer:
1) Noisy
2) Limited print quality
3) Low printing speed
4) Limited color printing
LINE MATRIX PRINTER
Line matrix printer is an impact printer that prints a line at a time. Printronix pioneered this technology in 1974. Line matrix and band printers are the surviving line printer technologies, but line matrix can print graphics, whereas band printers cannot. Line matrix resolution is in the 70 to 140 dpi range and speeds range from 400 to 1,400 lpm.
Line matrix printers offer medium resolution, monochrome printing with a very low ribbon cost. They also provide high speed; for example, printing a three-part form at 1,200 lpm is equivalent to a 65 ppm page printer. Line matrix printers can exist in harsh conditions and are often found in warehouses and other industrial environments.
The print mechanism is a row of dot hammers that is almost as wide as the page. The hammers are mounted on a shuttle that oscillates back and forth approximately two inches in a track. The hammers are magnetically released at the appropriate time and bang into a ribbon and onto the paper.
BAND PRINTER
Band printer is a line printer that uses a metal band, or loop, of type characters as its printing mechanism. The band contains a fixed set of embossed characters that can only be changed by replacing the band. The band spins horizontally around a set of hammers, one for each print column. When the required character in the band has revolved to the selected print column, the hammer pushes the paper into the ribbon and against the embossed image of the letter, digit or symbol.
Band printers can print up to approximately 2,000 lpm and can exist in very harsh industrial environments, although they are mostly used in datacenters. Band printers and line matrix printers are the two surviving line printer technologies.
Introduction
DEFINITION
A printer is an output device that prints characters, symbols, and perhaps graphics on paper. The printed output is generally referred to as hardcopy because it is in relatively permanent form. The print out resolution is measured in dots per inch. A printer is connected to a parallel port or a USB port of a system unit by a cable.
TYPES OF PRINTER
Printers can be divided into two main groups, impact printer and non-impact printer. Impact printer produces text and images when tiny wire pins on print head strike the ink ribbon by physically contacting the paper. Non-impact printer produces text and graphics on paper without actually striking the paper.
Printers can also be categorized based on the print method or print technology. The most popular ones are inkjet printer, laser printer, dot-matrix printer and thermal printer. Among these, only dot-matrix printer is impact printer and the others are non-impact printers.
Some printers are named because they are designed for specific functions, such as photo printers, portable printers and all-in-one/multifunction printers. Photo printers and portable printers usually use inkjet print method whereas multifunction printers may use inkjet or laser print method.
Inkjet printers and laser printers are the most popular printer types for home and business use. Dot matrix printer was popular in 70’s and 80’s but has been gradually replaced by inkjet printers for home use. However, they are still being used to print multi-part forms and carbon copies for some businesses. The use of thermal printers is limited to ATM, cash registers and point-of-sales terminals. Some label printers and portable printers also use thermal printing.
Due to the popularity of digital camera, laptop and SoHo office (small office / home office), the demand for photo printers, portable printers and multifunction printers has also increased substantially in recent years.
A printer is an output device that prints characters, symbols, and perhaps graphics on paper. The printed output is generally referred to as hardcopy because it is in relatively permanent form. The print out resolution is measured in dots per inch. A printer is connected to a parallel port or a USB port of a system unit by a cable.
TYPES OF PRINTER
Printers can be divided into two main groups, impact printer and non-impact printer. Impact printer produces text and images when tiny wire pins on print head strike the ink ribbon by physically contacting the paper. Non-impact printer produces text and graphics on paper without actually striking the paper.
Printers can also be categorized based on the print method or print technology. The most popular ones are inkjet printer, laser printer, dot-matrix printer and thermal printer. Among these, only dot-matrix printer is impact printer and the others are non-impact printers.
Some printers are named because they are designed for specific functions, such as photo printers, portable printers and all-in-one/multifunction printers. Photo printers and portable printers usually use inkjet print method whereas multifunction printers may use inkjet or laser print method.
Inkjet printers and laser printers are the most popular printer types for home and business use. Dot matrix printer was popular in 70’s and 80’s but has been gradually replaced by inkjet printers for home use. However, they are still being used to print multi-part forms and carbon copies for some businesses. The use of thermal printers is limited to ATM, cash registers and point-of-sales terminals. Some label printers and portable printers also use thermal printing.
Due to the popularity of digital camera, laptop and SoHo office (small office / home office), the demand for photo printers, portable printers and multifunction printers has also increased substantially in recent years.
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