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A dot-matrix printer is an impact printer. Pins are shot out and impact an inked ribbon to impress on a paper. Usually used with multi-sheet, fan-fold, listing paper.

A thermal printer uses heat against a specially treated paper. Whilst the heated head comes close to the paper's surface, it does not impact the paper.

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12y ago
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9y ago

Cycling-rod is accurate in that dot matrix printers are impact printers (as are daisywheel printers) but thermal printers also do qualify since their printheads actually do touch the paper, though not as forcefully as the other varieties. This is actually how they make the images on the page: they impact and burn the special wax-coated thermal paper to make the image. They are regarded as a subclass of dot matrix printers since they work the same way but without the need for a ribbon.

There is also a lesser known type of printer called thermal transfer that is kind of a combination of thermal and traditional dot matrix. With thermal transfer, it uses a ribbon just like dot matrix but instead of just being regular pins, they are heated pins just like with thermal printers. What happens is that when the printing is performed, the waxy "ink" of the ribbon is pushed forth by the pins of the printhead and melted onto the page by the heat of said pins. This, to be frank is just about the worst of both worlds: you get the noise of old-school dot matrix and the sloppy quality of old-school thermal. Thankfully this technology is not commonly used any longer. My first experience with it was the Apple Scribe printer and was I ever glad to upgrade from that to a used Apple Imagewriter.


If you have any other questions, feel free to drop me a line and I will be glad to help you understand these or other technologies.

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14y ago

No. A laser printer prints using a drum and fuser. An impact printer prints by hitting an ink soaked ribbon with a print head. These are two completely different methods of printing.

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14y ago

no,they are non-impact printers.these use a high-velocity stream of ink toward the paper.this stream is deflected generally by using an electrostatic field.

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Q: Is thermal printer a impact printer?
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Related questions

Is an thermal printer an impact printer?

i think yes


Are thermal printer and laser printer non impact?

A thermal printer and a laser printer are non-impact printers. A dot matrix, that fires pins against an inked roller, and uses a tractor roller to feed continuous paper through the printer, is an example of an impact printer.


The printer that sprays ink onto the paperA . Laser printerB . Impact printer C . Inkjet printerD . Thermal printer?

ink jet printer


What is an impact printers warm up time?

An impact printer (dot matrix) is ready for use once switched on. A thermal printer (non-impact) may need a short warm up period.


Name all types of non impact printer?

Nope they are categorized under impact printers. Some examples of non impact are: line printer, daisy wheel printer, golf ball printer, dot matrix printer, Braille printer.


Which type of printer uses a special type of paper to create images via differences in temperature?

Thermal Printer


Thermal printer advantages and disadvantages?

An advantage of a thermal printer is printing speed and quality. A disadvantage of a thermal printer is the higher cost.


Advantages and disadvantages of thermal printer?

An advantage of a thermal printer is printing speed and quality. A disadvantage of a thermal printer is the higher cost.


An example of a nonimpact printer?

Thermal Printer


How many types of printer?

There are mainly two types of printers,1.impact printer2. non impact printerHere impact printer contains single type "Dot matrix printer".and Non impact printer contains two type.One of them is"Inkjet printer"and second one is "laser printer".1.Dot matrix printer:-Dot matrix printer are used in carbon copy printing.The number of metal pins in the print head determines the quality of output of the dot matrix printer.(30 to 550 characters per second)


What are the differences between direct thermal printer and thermal wax transfer printer?

A Thermal printers use print wires that are heated in the thermal printer so that they can burn dot patterns into special thermal paper, while thermal wax printers use thermal printhead to melt dots of wax-based ink from the transfer ribbon onto the paper. When the wax is cool, it is permanently attached to the page. Unlike direct thermal printer, the thermal wax printer does not require special paper to print on.


Is plotter impact or non impact printer?

Plotter is a non-impact printer