- It is an external output device that takes data from a computer and generates output in the form of graphics/text on a paper.
- Impact Printers
- Non Impact Printers
Impact Printers:
- It makes contact with the paper.
- It is usually forms the prints the image by representing an inked ribbon against the paper using a hammer or pins.
- There are 6 types of impact printers.
1. Dot Matrix Printers:
- This uses print heads containing from 9 to 24 pins.
- These pins produces the patterns of dots on the paper to form characters.
- The 24 pins dot matrix printer produces more than 9 pin printer, which result in much better quality and clear characters.
- It printing speed of 100-600 characters per second.
2. Daisy Wheel Printers:
- In order to get quality of type found on typewriters, a daisy wheel impact printer can be used.
- It is looks like daisy.
- At the end of each "Petal" is a fully formed character which produces solid line.
- Its printing speed of 25-55 characters per second.
- Drum printer consists of a solid, cylindrical drum that has raised character in bands on its surface.
- It contains 80-132 print positions.
- Its printing speed of 300-2000 lines per minute.
4. Line Printers:
- Line printer used for print a whole line at once.
- It range of 1200 to 6000 lines per minute.
- Drum, Chain, and Band printers are line printers.
5. Chain Printers:
- Chain printer uses a chain of print characters wrapped around two pulleys.
- Like the drum printer, there is one hammer for each print position.
- Its printing speed of 400-2500 characters per minute.
6. Band Printers:
- It is operates similar to chain printer except it uses a band instead of a chain and has fewer hammers.
- Band printer has a steel band divided into five sections of 48 characters each.
- Font style can easily be changed by replacing band or chain.
Non Impact Printers:
- 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.
- There 2 types of non impact printers.
1. Inkjet Printers:
- It is work same as dot matrix printer.
- The dots are formed by tiny droplets of ink.
- It form characters on paper by spraying ink from tiny nozzles through an electric field that arranges the charged ink particles into characters.
- Its speed range is 250 characters per second.
2. Laser Printers:
- It is work like a photocopy machine.
- It produce images on paper by directing a laser beam at a mirror which bounces the beam onto a drum.
- The drum has a special coating with ink powder.
- Its printing speed is 21000 line per minute.
Advantages:
- Laser printers speed, efficiency, and print quality is high compare to other printers.
- It does not produce any noise.
- It also produce color prints.
Disadvantages:
- Cost is high.
- It emits Ozone and are hazardous to health and the atmosphere.
My notes images: