Output Devices
Printers
A printer produces a paper copy (Hard Copy) of information
generated by a computer.
Types of Printers
Printers
Impact Printer Non Impact Printer
Ink-Jet Laser
Dot Matrix Line Printer Daisy Wheel
Impact Printers
An impact printer creates an image by using pins or hammers to press an
inked ribbon against the paper.
OR
Impact printer are the type of printers in which a key strikes the paper to
make a letters.
Dot matrix
Line printer
Daisy Wheel printer
Non Impact Printer
Non Impact Printers do not use a striking device to produce characters on
the paper and because these printers do not hammer against the paper
they are much quieter.
Ink-jet printers
Laser printers
Impact VS Non Impact Printers
Impact printer Non impact Printer
1. It prints characters or images by striking 1. It prints characters and images without
print hammer or wheel against an inked striking the papers.
ribbon.
2. Its speed is slower. 2. Its speed is faster.
3. Its printing quality is lower. 3. Its printing quality is higher.
4. It normally uses continuous paper sheet. 4. Its normally uses individual paper sheet.
5. It generates noise during printing. 5. It does not generate noise during
printing.
6. It uses inked ribbon for printing. 6. It uses toner or cartridge for painting.
7. It is less expensive. 7. It is more expensive.
8. Dot matrix is an impact printer. 8. Laser printer is a non-impact printer.
Typewriter
Dot Matrix Printer
These devices were the most common
inexpensive printing option during the 1970s and
1980s, but were largely replaced by laser and
inkjet models by the mid-1990s.
Dot matrix printer typically use continuous
form multipart paper and are commonly used for
documents such as sales invoices and purchase
orders.
Inside a dot matrix printer a print head
containing small pins strikes an inked ribbon to
stamp images on a page.
The speed of dot matrix printer is measured in
character per second (CPS).
Basic Printing Function
• All dot matrix printers create characters on paper by striking an inked
ribbon with a hard surface. Unlike typewriters, which use a similar
mechanism, dot matrix printers do not have fixed character shapes or
fonts. Instead, each individual character is formed by the arrangement of a
series of pins. This allows dot matrix printers to be used for basic graphical
printing and multiple fonts as well as basic text printing -- but it gives the
printout a characteristic “dotted” appearance. Dot matrix printouts often
produce lower-quality text that can be difficult to read. In addition, dot
matrix printers generally are noisier than inkjet or laser models.
How Dot Matrix Works?
• Dot matrix printer uses a print head that runs back and forth, or in an up
and down motion, on the page and prints by striking an ink soaked cloth
ribbon against the paper, like a typewriter.
• The dot matrix prints one character at a time as the print head moves
across the paper. Each dot is produced by a tiny metal rod, also called a
“pin”, which is driven forward by the power of a tiny electromagnet or
solenoid.
• The printer arranges dots to form character and all kinds of images. The
portion of the printer containing the pin is called the print head.
• The dot matrix printer, generally prints one line of text at a time. There are
two approaches to achieve this:
Serial dot matrix
Line dot matrix
Output
Advantages /Disadvantages
• Advantages:-
1. In-expensive
2. Low per page cost
3. Energy efficient
• Disadvantages:-
1. Noisy
2. Low resolution
3. Limited font flexibility
4. Poor quality graphics output
Issues related to Dot Matrix
• Print head:
» The ink from the ribbon can clog the tiny pins. Pin can be
bent. Print head are expensive
• Ribbon:
» Poor print quality can simply mean that the ribbon needs
to be replaced.
• Overheating:
» Dot matrix printers are noisy. They are often kept under a
sound proofed cover. Less ventilation lead to overheating.
• Paper jams:
2) Line Printer
• It use a special wide print head that can print entire line of text at one
time.
• Do not offer high resolution
• Fast can print 3000 line of text per minute
• It can not print graphics
• Very expensive
3) Daisy Wheel Printers
Head is lying on a wheel and pins corresponding to characters are like
petals of Daisy (flower name) that is why it is called Daisy Wheel Printer.
These printers are generally used for word-processing in offices which
require a few letters to be sent here and there with very nice quality.
Produced letter quality print
Cant not produced graphics output.
1980 daisy wheel printers were the dominant
Advantages:
More reliable than DMP
Better quality
Disadvantages
Slower than DMP
Noisy
More expensive than DMP
Working of daisy wheel printer
Similar to typewriters
A circular printing element (known as daisy wheel)is
the heart of these printers
Wheel contain all text, numeric character and symbols
mould on each petal.
The printing element rotates rapidly with the help of a
servo motor and pauses to allow the printing hammer
to strike the character against the paper.
Daisy wheel printing is measured in character per
second and standard speed is 10 t0 50 character per
second.
They are printers of letter quality type
It cannot print graphic images.
They are noisy and slow.
Total character 96
Non Impact Printer
Ink Jet Printer
• Ink-jet technology was developed in the 1960s but first commercialized
by IBM in 1976.
• An ink-jet printer produces high-quality documents at a relatively low
price.
• Ink-jet printer has print head that can spray very fine drops of ink.
• It consists of print cartridge filled with liquid ink and has small nozzles.
• These printer have resolution ranging from 300 to 720 dpi(dot per inch)
Parts of Inkjet Printer
• Print head:
» It is heart of the printer which holds a series a nozzles
which sprays the ink drops over the paper.
• Ink cartridge:
» It is the part that contains the ink for printing. Generally
monochrome (black and white) and color printer contain
two cartridge one with black and other with primary
colors.
• Stepper motor:
» It is housed in the printer to move the print head and ink
cartridges back and forth across the paper
• Stabilizer bar:
» A stabilizer bar is used in printer to ensure the movement
of print head is précised and controlled over the paper.
• Belt:
» A belt is used to attach the print head with the stepper
motor.
• Paper tray:
» It is the place where papers are placed to be printed.
• Rollers:
» Printers have a set of rollers that helps to pull paper from
the tray for printing purpose.
How ink-jet printer works
• Characters and graphics are sprayed line by line as a print head scans
horizontally across the paper.
• An ink filled print cartridge is attached to the inkjet print head.
• The print head contain 50 or more ink-filled chambers, each attached to a
nozzle.
• An electrical pulse flows through thin resistors at the bottom of the
chamber.
• When current flows through a resistor, the resistor heat a thin layer of ink
at the bottom of the chamber to more than 900 degrees Fahrenheit.
• The ink boils and forms a bubble.
Continued
• As the bubble expands, it pushed ink through the nozzle to form a droplet
at the tip of the nozzle
• Droplet sprays onto the paper
• The volume of ejected ink is about one millionth that of a drop of water
from an eye dropper
• As the resistor cools, the bubble collapses.
Issues related to ink-jet
• Cartridges(ink can dry out over time)
• Refills(cartridge can be refilled but quality is not good)
• Cost(cartridges can be expensive)
• Paper jams(moisture in paper often causes paper misfeed)
Inkjet Printers
Advantages Disadvantages
Out put is of high quality Slow output if there are several copies
needed
Inkjet printers are much cheaper to buy Ink cartridges run out too quickly to be
than laser used for large print jobs
Are very lightweight and make up less High initial cost of the system
place
They don’t produce ozone They are expensive to run if they are used
a lot; since original ink cartridges are
expensive
Quieter than dot matrix printer
Laser Printer
• A laser printer is a high speed printer that is ideal for business documents
and graphics.
• It produce the highest quality images but are relatively expensive
• It works like a photocopier to produce images on a paper.
• A laser beam draws images on a light sensitive drum.
• The drum picks up a fine powdered ink called toner
• Then transfers the toner to the paper to create the images.
• Single color (black) laser printers typically can produce between 4 to 16
pages of text a minute.
• Resolution 600 to 1200 dpi both horizontally and vertically.
