Impact Printer Guide
Technical Manual
Impact Printer Technology
Introduction:
There are several printer technologies used in
today's home, office, and banking printers.
Dot matrix printers, known also as
impact printers, represent the
oldest printing technology, and
are still widespread today, by
grace of its best 'price per page'
ratio. Dot matrix printers are
divided on two main groups:
serial dot matrix printers and line dot
matrix printers (or simply line printers).
Words and Terms You Should Know:
These are the terms that you should learn and understand once this lesson is completed.
• Dot Matrix Printers • Serial Dot Matrix Printers • Line Dot Matrix Printers
• Daisy-Wheel Printers • CPS (Characters Per Second) • Solenoid
• Ribbon • Hammer Bank/Print Shuttle • Print Head
• LQ (Letter quality) • Cost Per Page Ratio • Print Wires
• Printing Resolution • Paper Jam • DPI
• Stepper Motor • Carriage Motor • Main Motor
• Hammer-Bank • Hammer • Print Shuttle
• LPM (Lines Per Minute)
Impact Printer Technology
Impact Printers
Any printer that falls into the category of printers known as Impact Printers has one
distinguishing feature: an impact printer uses pins to strike against an inked ribbon, making dots
on the paper and forming the desired characters.
This is the oldest printing technology available, but is still employed because of the very low
Cost Per Page Ratio and the fact the non-impact printers (inkjet and laser) can’t print trough
multipart forms or carbon paper. The Cost Per Page Ratio is the amount in dollars (usually in
tenths of a cent) that it costs to print one page from a given printer. Taken into account when
computing is the cost of the printer, life of the printer, and average cost of maintenance for the
printer. Impact printers are also very fast; for companies that need to print out very long reports,
databases, or checks, this variety of printer is very practical. Dot Matrix printers may be
somewhat outdated, but they are very economical and still in use.
Daisy-Wheel Printers
Daisy-wheel printers were one of the first types of impact printer developed. Their speed is rated
by the number of characters per second (cps) that they print. The earliest printers could only
print two to four characters per second. However, they were considered to be the first letter
quality printers and were widely used for producing typed documents. In addition to their poor
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speed, the main disadvantage to this type of printer is that it makes a lot of noise when
printing… so much, in fact, that special enclosures were developed to contain the noise.
The features that distinguish a daisy-wheel printer lie on how the characters are actually formed
on the paper. These printers contain a wheel (called a daisy-wheel because it looks like a daisy)
with raised letters and symbols on each “petal.” When the printer needs to print a character, it
sends a signal to the mechanism that contains the wheel. This mechanism is called the print
head. The print head rotates the daisy wheel until the required character is in place. An
electromagnetic hammer (called a solenoid) then strikes the back of the “petal” containing the
character. The character pushes the inked ribbon that ultimately strikes the paper, making the
impression of the requested character. In this way, daisy-wheel printers are much like
typewriters.
There are a few advantages to the daisy-wheel printers though; since it is an impact printer,
multipart forms (like carbonless receipts) can be printed, assuming they can be fed into the
printer properly. Second, it is relatively inexpensive compared to the price of a laser printer of
the same vintage. Finally, the print quality is comparable to a typewriter because it uses a very
similar technology. This typewriter
level of quality was given a name:
letter quality (LQ).
Serial Dot Matrix Printers
The first of the two types of Impact
printers is the Serial Dot Matrix
Printer. A serial dot matrix printer
uses a print head, which has a
number of electro-magnetically fired
print wires, or pins, arranged in
vertical columns.
There are two main print head
technologies - in the first one
electromagnetic field shoots the
print head's wire. In the second one,
Figure 1. Dot matrix printer with the access panels removed. the so called permanent magnet
print heads, a spring shoots the print
head wire and the magnetic field just holds the spring in stressed and ready to shoot position.
When the electromagnetic field equalizes the
magnetic field, the spring is released to shoot the
wire.
As the print head moves in horizontal direction,
the print head controller sends electrical signals
that force the appropriate wires to strike against
the inked ribbon, making dots on the paper and
forming the desired characters. The most
commonly used print heads has 9 print wires in
one column (9-pin print heads) or 24 print wires in
two columns (24-pin print heads), for better print
quality. In some heavy-duty dot matrix printers
there are also used 18 wire print heads (18-pin
print heads), which have 2 columns, 9 wires in Figure 2. Close up of dot wire bearing on serial
each. dot matrix printhead.
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The distance between wires in a column may give us the vertical printing resolution. For
example: a 9 wire print head with a distance of 0.35 mm between adjacent wires will result in
25.4/0.35=72.5 dots/inch (dots per inch DPI) vertical printing resolution for one pass printed line
of characters. 24 wire print heads have 2 columns - 12 wires in each, with a vertical
displacement of ½ step. So if the distance between adjacent wires is 0.21 mm, then one column
will print with 25.4/0.21=120.9 dots/inch (DPI) vertical resolution, but since the second column
print between the dots printed from the first one, the overall vertical resolution will be 240 DPI.
Please note that the first laser printers released on the market had the same resolution.
Line Dot Matrix Printers
The differences are that line printers use hammer bank (or print-shuttle) instead of print head,
this print-shuttle has hammers instead of print wires, and these hammers are arranged in a
horizontal row instead in vertical column. The hammer bank uses the same technology as the
permanent magnet print head with the
small difference that instead of print
wires the print-shuttle has hammers.
Since the line dot matrix printer prints
one entire line at a time, they are much
faster (and more expensive) than serial
dot matrix printers.
The printing mechanism works as
follows. The permanent magnetic field
holds the hammer spring in stressed,
ready to strike position. The driver
sends electrical current to hammer coil,
which then creates electromagnetic field
opposite to the permanent magnetic
field. When both fields equalize, the
energy stored in the spring is released
to strike the hammer against the ribbon Figure 2. Print Head with Ribbon
and prints a dot on the paper.
Common Dot Matrix Print Quality Problems
Characteristics Cause Solution
Consistently faded or light characters Worn-out print ribbon Replace ribbon with a new, vendor-
recommended ribbon.
Print lines that go from dark to light Print ribbon advance gear slipping Replace ribbon advance gear or
as the print head moves across the mechanism.
page
A small, blank line running through a Print head pin stuck inside the print Replace the print head.
line of print (consistently) head
A small, white line running through a Print head pin broken inside the print Replace the print head.
line of print (consistently) head
A small, blank line running through a A broken, loose, or shorting print Secure or replace the print head
line of print (intermittently) head cable or a sticking print head cable. Replace the print head or
clean it.
A small, dark line running through a Print head pin stuck in the “out” Replace the print head. (Pushing the
line of print position pin may case damage to the print
head.)
Printer makes Printing noise, but no Worn, missing, or improperly Replace ribbon cartridge correctly or
print appears on the page installed ribbon cartridge or the print adjust the print head gap.
head gap set too large
Printer prints “garbage” Cable partially unhooked, wrong Hook up cable correctly, select the
driver selected, or bad printer control correct driver, or replace the PCB,
board (PCB) respectively.
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During printing process the print-shuttle vibrates in horizontal direction with high speed while the
print hammers are fired selectively. So each hammer may print a series of dots in horizontal
direction for one pass of the shuttle, then paper advances at one step and the shuttle prints the
following row of dots.
Printout Jams Inside the Printer
Paper jams occur when something
prevents the paper from advancing
through the printer correctly. There are
two main reasons for printer jams: an
obstructed paper path and stripped drive
gears.
Obstructed paper paths are the most
common problem, but they are
somewhat difficult to find. A technician
usually has to disassemble the entire
printer to find the crumpled up paper,
label, or other foreign object that’s
blocking the paper path. Sometimes it is
necessary to remove the platen roller
Figure 3. Removing the screws that secure the printhead on and feed mechanism to get at the
the carriage. obstruction.
Stepper Motor Problems
A stepper motor is a motor that can
move in very small increments. Printers
use stepper motors to move the print
head back and forth as well as to
advance the paper (these are called the
carriage motor and main motor,
respectively.) These motors are
damaged when they are moved in any
direction when the power is on. This
includes moving the print head over to
install a printer ribbon as well as moving
the paper feed roller to align paper.
These motors are very sensitive to stray
voltages. And, if you are rotating one of
these motors by hand, you are
essentially turning it into a small
Figure 4. Pin-feed clamp mechanism guides pin-feed paper
generator, damaging it. and forms precisely through the printer.
A technician can easily detect damage to a stepper motor, because the damage will cause the
motor to lose precision and move farther with each “step.” Lines of print will be unevenly spaced
if the main motor is damaged (which is most likely). Characters will be “scrunched” together if
the print head motor goes bad. In fact, if the motor is bad enough, it won’t move at all in any
direction. It may even make high-pitched squealing noises. If any of these symptoms show
themselves, it’s time to replace one of these motors.
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Impact Printer Guide
Technical Manual
Exercise 1 - Impact Printer Technology
Instructions:
Study the content carefully before attempting the Name:
questions listed below. Consider using other information
sources as well. Periodicals, reference materials, and the Period:
Internet are great resources to find the answers to the
technical problems you’re going to face when servicing Date:
computers.
Speaking of resources… Let’s save some of our natural resources. Rather than printing out the
entire lesson, print out only the worksheet. Study the lesson on-screen and then record your
answers on this worksheet. When you’re finished, return the worksheet to your supervisor for
evaluation. Be sure to complete this assignment before moving onto the next.
Research Resources:
Company Web Site Description
Micro Mechanic www.mimech.com Micro Mechanic provides a simple understanding of the
process Laser printers use to produce various documents.
Questions:
1. √ Research and develop a detailed definition for each of the following terms. Many words
have multiple definitions… Some of which may have nothing to do with the field of
Computer Service and Support. Make sure your definition falls within the context of this
lesson. Refer to the list of Research Resources and Required Materials as well as other
materials you feel are appropriate. Write your definitions on the reverse side of this
worksheet or a separate piece of paper with each definition being two sentences or more.
9 Serial Dot Matrix Printers 9 Line Dot Matrix Printers 9 Daisy-Wheel Printers
9 Hammer Bank/Print Shuttle 9 Print Head 9 Printing Resolution
9 Stepper Motor 9 Carriage Motor 9 DPI
2. √ Why are impact printers still in use?
3. √ What is distinguishing feature that makes impact printers different than other printers?
4. √ How is a daisy-wheel printer different from a dot-matrix printer?
5. √ Which dot matrix print head provides the highest resolution of print?
A. 9 Dot Wires B. 18 Dot Wires
C. 24 Dot Wires D. 128 Dot Wires
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6. √ Why is a line dot matrix printer faster than a serial dot matrix printer.
7. √ What is the most likely cause of consistently faded or light characters on a printout?
8. √ What is the most likely cause of a small, consistent white line running horizontally through
a line of print on the printout?
9. √ What causes a paper jam in dot matrix printers?
10. √ How can a technician tell when there are problems with a stepper motor on a printer?
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Impact Printer Guide
Technical Manual
Exercise 2 – Impact Printer PMI
Exercise Objective:
In this exercise, you’ll perform Preventive Maintenance Name:
Inspection of an impact printer. You’ll collect the
appropriate tools together and use them correctly to Period:
complete this exercise.
Date:
Discussion of Fundamentals:
We perform the preventive maintenance inspection (PMI) to preserve the reliability of the
equipment we use. Through careful inspection, cleaning, and maintenance our computer
workstations will perform better and longer than those that are neglected. The PMI also allows
us to detect serious problems before they occur and perhaps prevent printer crashes and
reduce equipment down time.
Required Materials:
• Work Order • Soft-Bristled Brush • Compressed Air
• Equipment ID Tag • Stiff-Bristled Brush • Vacuum
• Laser Printer • Cotton Swabs • PC Technician Toolkit
• Spray and Wipe Cleaner • Lint-Free Towels • Adhesive Remover
• Alcohol • •
Procedure:
Complete each of the following steps in this exercise. When you see a √… That’s an
indication that you need to do something. This is an abbreviated guide to performing a
preventive maintenance inspection of an impact printer. Refer to the previous section for details
on how to complete each step. Print out this exercise and use it to keep track of your progress
while performing the following steps.
A. INITIAL PRINTER INSPECTION
Preparation: Printer completely assembled and operational. Power OFF. Rings, watches
and jewelry must be removed.
1.√ Make sure you have a valid work order. If the item is in the shop make sure it has an
Repairable Item Tag on it.
2.√ Inspect for any broken or missing parts. Record the parts and a description of their defect
on the work order.
3.√ Rattle test the printer. Remove paper, detach any removable covers, and slowly rock the
printer while listening for loose or traveling parts inside the case. Investigate and report
your findings to your supervisor if the printer fails the rattle test.
CAUTION: Most printers manufactured for the United States operate on 110 Volts ONLY. If
you plug the printer into the wrong voltage you will destroy it. Examine the ID plate and
attach the correct power cord to the printer.
4.√ Connect the printer to a power source.
5.√ Reassemble the printer and make sure the printer is loaded with paper.
6.√ Perform a printer Self-Test.
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Tech Note: Most printers have a built-in self-test function. Different manufacturers use
different combinations of keys to activate the self-test. Consult the printer’s user’s manual to
determine how to run the printer self test. NOTE: Most printers incorporate safety interlock
switches into the covers and lids. The printer must be assembled before it can print.
7.√ Check the quality of the print for darkness and clarity. If the quality of the print is light or
broken up, chances are the cartridge may be old and need changing.
8.√ Turn the printer’s power off.
( ) Supervisor Check
B. INTERNAL CLEANING
Preparation: Printer completely open disassembled. Remove the toner cartridge and paper
tray. Open all access panels. Power OFF and Unplugged. Rings, watches
and jewelry must be removed.
1.√ Use compressed air and a soft bristle brush to remove dust and debris from inside the
printer.
2. √ Clean and lubricate the print head
9 Remove the print ribbon.
9 Detach the print head from the print head carrier and cradle it in a wipe.
9 Saturate the wipe with alcohol and wipe the dot wire bearing to remove the dried ink and
ribbon deposits.
9 Wipe off the excess alcohol and apply a drop of fine machine oil into at the dot wire
bearing.
9 Wipe off the excess oil.
3.√ Reinstall the print head.
4.√ Clean and lubricate the print head carriage rails with a wipe damp with machine oil.
5.√ Carefully reassemble the printer.
( ) Supervisor Check
C. EXTERNAL CLEANING
Preparation: Printer completely assembled and operational. Power OFF and Unplugged.
Rings, watches and jewelry must be removed.
1.√ Clean the lids, covers, and external surfaces with spray and wipe cleaner.
2.√ Clean air vents with a stiff bristled brush or cotton swab wet with spray and wipe cleaner.
3.√ Remove any unnecessary labels or tape using adhesive remover.
4.√ Wipe down all surfaces cleaning off streaks and smudges.
5.√ Reassemble the printer and load with paper.
( ) Supervisor Check
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D. OPERATIONAL TESTING
Preparation: Printer completely assembled and operational. Connect the printer to a
computer workstation. Turn the Power ON. Make sure the printer is ON-LINE.
Rings, watches and jewelry must be removed.
1.√ Boot-up the computer into Windows
2.√ Go to the Start menu and open Settings.
3.√ Open the Control Panel and open Printers.
4.√ Right click the printer that you would like to test.
Tech Note: If the printer you want to test isn’t listed in the printer panel you’ll have to add it.
Select “Add a Printer” and following the installation instructions. Ask your supervisor for help if
you need it.
5.√ Open Properties
6.√ Make sure you are under “General” tab.
7.√ Click on “Print Test Page”
( ) Supervisor Check
E. PRINTER INSTALLATION
Preparation: Printer completely assembled, tested, and operational. Connect the printer to a
computer workstation. Turn the Power ON. Make sure the printer is ON-LINE.
Rings, watches and jewelry must be removed.
1.√ Position the printer as it would be used by the customer.
2.√ Boot-up the computer into Windows and setup the printer in the Control Panel if necessary.
3.√ Organize all data and power cables in a neat and orderly fashion.
4.√ Gather tools and supplies and throw away used materials.
5.√ Wipe down the work area one last time.
6.√ Have the customer sign the Work Order once the job is complete.
7.√ Return the completed Work Order to the dispatcher.
( ) Supervisor Check
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Impact Printer Guide
Technical Manual
Exercise 3 – Impact Features/Service
Exercise Objective:
In this exercise you will compare the features of various Name:
impact printers. At the end of this exercise, you should
be familiar with the variations in key features between Period:
laser printers.
Date:
Discussion of Fundamentals:
You really need to become familiar with printer specs and how to recognize a quality product.
You’ll also need to recognize the serviceable components and how to set it up for use with a
computer workstation.
Research Resources:
Company Web Site Description
Okidata http://www.okidata.com Okidata Printer Information
Lexmark http://www.lexmark.com Lexmark Printer Information
Epson http://www.epson.com Epson Printer Information
Required Materials:
• Impact Printer • Printer User Manual • Internet Access
Procedure:
Complete each of the following steps in this exercise. When you see a √… That’s an
indication that you need to do something. Print out this exercise and use it to keep track of your
progress while performing the following steps.
A. Impact Printer Features
1.√ Study the printer manual to obtain the following specifications of an impact (dot matrix)
printer in your classroom:
Specification Value
Speed Of The Printer (Pages Per Minute):
Max Resolution (DPI):
RAM:
Type Of Ink Cartridges:
Price:
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2.√ Visit the websites of several impact printer manufactures and select the impact (dot matrix)
printer that delivers “the best bang for the buck”. Complete the table below.
Specification Value
Manufacturer:
Model Number:
Speed of the printer (pages per minute):
Max Resolution (DPI):
RAM:
Price:
( ) Supervisor Check
B. Impact Printer Service
1.√ Exam the inside of a impact printer looking for removable or replaceable parts.
2.√ Practice removing and reinserting the printer ribbon cartridge and paper.
3.√ Open the printer to the point where you could clear a paper jam any along the paper
transport path.
4.√ Print out a test page using the printer’s self-test feature.
( ) Supervisor Check
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