When looking for a printer, we usually consider laser or inkjet devices. These are the most popular models of printing devices. However, it is worth remembering that in stores you can find dot matrix printers. Until recently, they were extremely popular. They were used in offices, schools, internet cafes, offices and private apartments. How do dot matrix printers work and when is it worth investing in?
What is the principle of operation of dot matrix printers?
Dot matrix printers are hit devices, which makes their mechanism of operation very simple. Most often, the mechanism of operation of dot matrix printers is compared to a tattoo machine. The equipment is equipped with a head with 9 to 48 needles. These are moved by a spring. In addition, the dot matrix printer has an ink ribbon, thanks to which it is possible to make prints. These are created when the needles hit the tape - this action causes a pattern to appear on the paper. It is made of a mesh of dots. When creating it, regular vertical and horizontal gaps are maintained. After one line is printed, the sheet is shifted up and the next line is printed.
Despite the simplicity of dot matrix printers, they are not popular couplers. This is because they work very slowly. Most models work at around 400 characters per second, while some high-quality devices can print 200 characters per second. When the pattern is applied to the paper, it makes very loud noises.
Where are dot matrix printers used?
Dot matrix printers are rare today. In households as well as in offices, we prefer to use newer and faster technologies, i.e. laser and inkjet printers. However, there are places where dot matrix printers are still an invaluable assistant at work. Most often they can be found in large stores, warehouses, warehouses, cinemas, banks, post offices.
In these places, nobody bothers that the printers work slower and make noise, but their advantages are appreciated. The main one is the possibility of printing on non-standard surfaces, e.g. cardboard, multi-layer carbonless paper. This means that they are useful wherever there is a need to print bills and invoices in several copies. These documents can be printed in both black and white and color. An advantage worth mentioning is also the low requirements in terms of the working environment and the quality of the paper. The correct functioning of needle devices is not adversely affected by dust, dust, high humidity.
Consumables for dot matrix printers
An important advantage of dot matrix printers are also low prices of consumables. You can see their attractive prices at https://tonatuszu.pl/materialy-eksploatacyjne/tusze/tusze-hp. As you will notice when analyzing them, they are much cheaper than toners or inks for inkjet or laser devices. The price of the ink cassettes is up to 50% lower. What's more, they can be regenerated, which further reduces the investment costs. Dot matrix printers are therefore an extremely economical solution and are perfect for places where many pages of documents are printed.
What is the difference between 9 and 24 pin printers?
9 and 24-pin printers are available in office equipment stores. These devices differ significantly from each other. The more needles the device has, the better the print quality. A 24-pin printer will be useful if you want to print documents in high quality, and also quickly. Machines with 24 needles print at up to twice the speed and can create up to 1500 characters per second. Unfortunately, the higher print quality and high speed of operation translate into a high price of the device. You have to pay a few thousand zlotys for a 24-pin printer, while the one with 9 needles is available for about 1500 zlotys. Gear with more needles is also bigger and heavier. This can make it difficult to find a place for them in the office.
