PRINTERS

• Printers are used to convert soft copy into hard copy. The following are
different types of printers:
1) Inkjet printers
Inkjet printers are used to produce good quality copies.
Although the quality is not quite as good as that from
laser printers, it is far better than that from dot matrix printers.
Unlike laser printers, inkjet printers do not have large buffers, so printing is
done a bit at a time. This is why printing is sometimes paused, since the
whole page can’t be stored in the buffer and it has to wait for the computer
to send more data.
Uses
• Inkjet printers are used where low output volumes are required.
• If high-quality printing is required for single pages (or only a small print
job) then these printers are ideal, for example they are very good at
producing photo quality printouts.
Advantages
• The output is of high quality.
• Inkjet printers are cheaper to buy than laser printers.
• They are very lightweight and have a small footprint (i.e. take up little
space).
• They do not produce ozone and volatile organic compounds, unlike laser
printers.
Disadvantages
• The output is slow if several copies needed, as there is little buffer
capacity to store the pages.
• The ink cartridges run out too quickly to be used for large print jobs.
• Printing can ‘smudge’ if the user is not careful.
• Inkjet printers can be expensive to run if they are used a lot, since
original ink cartridges are expensive.
2) Laser Printer
Laser printers produce very high-quality hard copy output. The
print rate per page is very quick if a large number of pages are
being printed. They rely on large buffer memories,
where the
data for the whole document is stored before the
pages can be
printed out.
Uses
• Laser printers are used where noise levels need to be kept low (e.g. in an
office).
• They are the best option for fast high quality high volume printing.
Advantages
• Printing is fast for high volumes. If only a few pages are to be printed
they are little faster than inkjet printers.
• They can handle very large print jobs.
• The quality is consistently high.
• Toner cartridges last for a long time, so laser printers can be a cost
effective option, particularly if colour outputs are not required.
Disadvantages
• Laser printers are expensive to buy.
• They are only really fast if several copies are being made.
• Colour laser printers tend to be expensive to run, since four cartridges
(three colours plus black) are needed as well as diffuser kits, etc.
• They produce ozone and volatile organic compounds because of their
• method of printing and type of toner/ink used. These have been linked
to health hazards in the office.
3) Dot matrix printers
Dot matrix printers are a type of impact printer, where a print head (made
up of a matrix of pins) presses against an inked ribbon. They tend to be
slow, noisy and the output is not good quality. They are still useful, however,
where multi-part or continuous stationery (e.g. long reams of perforated
paper) is being used.

Uses
• They can be used in noisy environments (e.g.
garage workshops) and in
applications where print quality is not very important.
Advantages
• Dot matrix printers can be used in environments which would be a
problem for laser or inkjet printers (e.g. dusty, dirty or moist
atmospheres).
• Carbon copies or multi-part outputs can be produced.
• They are very cheap to run and maintain.
• They are easy to use if continuous stationery is required (e.g. long print
jobs such as wages slips).
Disadvantages
• They are very noisy and so not good in an office environment.
• They cost more than an inkjet printer to buy.
• They are very slow and the printing is of poor quality.
4) 3D inkjet printers
These are a new type of printer that produces solid 3D models
using modified inkjet technology. In this technology, known as
‘tomography’, thin layers of fine powder (plaster, resin
and starch) are bonded together as a 3D model is slowly
built up (each layer is only about 0.25 mm thick). Figure
2.7 shows some items produced on a 3D inkjet printer –
these are known as prototypes.
Uses
• Inkjet printers are used to produce prototypes which actually work from
CAD packages, photograph images, stored drawings, etc.
• Scale models are produced in colour before the real thing is
manufactured.
• The ultimate objective is to produce organic objects (such as
• replacement human organs) using this layering technology.
Advantages
• 3D inkjet printers save a lot of money, since making prototypes by other
methods is very time consuming and expensive.
• Physical scale models are produced with working parts, which gives a
better idea of how the end product will look.
• The powders used can often be ground up and re-used.
Disadvantages
• 3D inkjet printers are expensive to buy.
• They are slow at producing their output.
• The end product can sometimes be a little rough and often needs further
• work to be done on it.
5) Plotters
Plotters (also known as graph plotters) are devices that produce hard
copies, but operate in a different way to printers. They are not limited to
normal printer paper size and are capable of producing highly accurate,
very large drawings and posters. The most common types are pen plotters
(which use coloured pens to draw), electrostatic (similar method to laser
printers) and inkjet plotters. With pen plotters the coloured pens are
controlled by a computer and the paper can move backwards and
forwards to allow accurate shapes to be drawn.

Uses
• Plotters are used to produce large drawings
(e.g. blueprints of buildings,
factories, etc.) and are often used with CAD applications.
• They are used to produce large pictures for use on billboards or
giant posters.
• They can also print on plastic-coated paper.
• If the pens are replaced with cutting tools, it is also possible to
make large signs.
Advantages
• They can produce huge printouts.
• The print quality is extremely high.
Disadvantages
• They are slow in operation.
• They are expensive, both to buy and to maintain.