A printer is a device that prints data or computer outputs onto paper. Printers are split into two types based on the technology used: impact printers and non-impact printers. The major distinction between these printers is that impact printers produce images using an electromechanical impact mechanism. In contrast, non-impact printers do not employ a mechanical impact device.

In this article, you will learn the difference between Impact and Non-impact printers. But before discussing the differences, you must know about Impact and Non-impact printers with their advantages and disadvantages.

What are Impact Printers?

Impact printers utilize an electromechanical component that impacts on the paper to print the letters on the paper sheet. It is comparable to a mechanical typewriter. The mechanism employed in these printers is referred to as an electro-mechanical mechanism. It operates at a slower speed than non-impact printers because of the use of a mechanical component.

Types of Impact Printers

There are various types of impact printers. Some important types of impact printers are as follows:

1. Dot matrix printer

Dot matrix printers generate images by hammering a grid of pins against a ribbon. Different pin combinations are utilized to print several characters.

2. Drum Printer

The paper in a drum printer is attached to the drum for exact alignment to the nozzles. When the required character for the specified location is rotated around to the hammer line, the hammer hits the paper from behind and pushes it into the type slug when it is rotated around to the right position.

3. all Printer

A spherical ball with raised characters on the outside is used in ball printers. Before printing on the page, the ball spins to every character.

4. Daily wheel printer

These printers are connected to a daisy wheel containing all the characters required in the printing process. The characters are carved on little metal plates that are put over a wheel spoke. While printing, the wheel turns at high speed, and an electromechanical hammer strikes the appropriate character when it reaches beneath the hammer.

It impacts the character on an ink ribbon, causing the ink on the ribbon to bleed and leaving an impression of the character’s shape on the paper. The replacement of a wheel may result in each wheel printing a distinct set of characters. Daisy wheel printers are rapid and suitable for printing elementary text, with speeds ranging from 10 to 50 characters per second. However, these may not be utilized to print photos.

5. Line Printer

It is a high-speed printer that may print a full line at once. A high-speed line printer can produce up to 3,000 lines per minute. Line printers have the disadvantage of being unable to produce graphics, having poor print quality, and being quite noisy.

6. Chain Printer

It’s the printer for characters. A chain printer’s print element is a metallic band or chain with embossed characters that spins horizontally in front of the paper. A complete chain is made up of five pieces, each of which has 48 characters. As the print chain rotates, appropriately timed print hammers impact the paper and the inked ribbon against the appropriate character on the chain. Chain printers are among the quickest impact printers, producing 400 to 2500 letters per second. Characters on a rotating band are utilized in chain printers, also known as band printers. These devices may be capable of speeds of up to 3000 lines per minute.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Impact Printer

There are various advantages and disadvantages of impact printers. Some important advantages and disadvantages of impact printers are as follows:

Advantages

1. It is capable of producing continuous print on paper.
2. It prints line by line or character by character.
3. It is a cheaper and more reliable printer.
4. It is widely utilized and employed when large amounts of production are required.
5. It utilizes cartridges and ink ribbons.

Disadvantages

1. Cartridge refilling and replacement are both costly.
2. It is designed and developed utilizing outdated technology.
3. When compared to non-impact printers, they contain more moving parts.
4. When compared to non-impact printers, they print slowly.
5. They create a lot of noise during printing.

What are Non-Impact Printers?

Non-Impact Printers make no direct contact between the paper and the ink ribbon. They employ laser, xerographic, electrostatic, chemical, or inkjet printing technologies. These are quieter and do not need mechanical moving parts to print. These printers create images and characters without physical contact between the paper and the printing device. Printing is accomplished by depositing ink on any type of paper.

Non-impact printers can print numerous pages per minute at high speed and with a low noise level. These printers have very low or negligible noise levels because they do not use a striking mechanism in which the printing head contacts the ribbon and paper. Instead, they use a completely silent process of depositing ink or toner onto the paper.

Non-impact printers print graphics and characters onto paper using a laser, a spray of special ink, or heat and pressure. The print quality of a non-impact printer is better than that of an impact printer. Toner (dry ink) or liquid ink cartridges are used in these printers to print on paper. These printers utilize the latest printing technologies, and they are more costly than other printers.

Types of Non-Impact Printers

There are various types of non-impact printers. Some important types of non-impact printers are as follows:

1. Laser Printer

A laser printer that utilizes electrostatically charged areas on a photosensitive drum to attract toner (or dry ink powder) to generate significant printing material. A heating process transfers the toner to a piece of paper and glues it together.

2. Plotter

A plotter is comparable to an inkjet printer. However, it is useful for printing on larger-sized paper rather than standard paper. These are mostly utilized for setting out and printing engineering drawings such as building plans, mechanical component drawings, assembly drawings, etc.

It may print both colour and black and white documents. Drum plotters and flat-bed plotters are the two types of plotters. Drum plotters roll the paper over the drum. On the other hand, a flat-bed plotter employs plotting pens over which the paper is positioned.

3. Inkjet Printer

The mechanism of an inkjet printer differs greatly from that of an impact printer in that it ejects minuscule drops of ink via small ink nozzles in the print head. It employs a resistive heating effect to heat each nozzle in microseconds selectively. Its heating action aids in the expansion of ink in the cartridge and nozzle ejection onto the paper.

The ink from the nozzle generates small dots, which combine to form characters or images. The instructor specifies the movement of the cartridge using the printer, and it normally advances sideways. A roller was used to roll the paper for the printer to produce the next line.

4. Thermal Printer

The output characters of thermal printers are generated by a specific heating element that is combined with special heat-sensitive waxy paper, which forms darkened dots when the element reaches a threshold temperature.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Non-Impact Printer

There are various advantages and disadvantages of non-impact printers. Some important advantages and disadvantages of non-impact printers are as follows:

Advantages

1. They require less maintenance than impact printers.
2. While printing, these printers are quieter.
3. They are easy to handle and move quickly.
4. You can print on a variety of paper sizes, ranging from banner format to anything else.
5. These printers are utilized in small machines such as receipts, bus tickets, ATMs, movie tickets, billings, etc.

Disadvantages

1. The cost of replacing the ink cartridge is high.
2. Non-impact printer ink cartridges are extremely expensive.
3. Inkjet printers are slower than laser printers and require high-quality paper.
4. If a thermal printer becomes too hot to work, ink consumption increases, and printing accuracy may suffer.
5. Toner in laser printers is harmful to people.

Key Differences between the Impact and Non-Impact Printers

Here, you will learn the various key differences between impact and non-impact printers. Various differences between impact and non-impact printers are as follows:

1. Impact printers create figures and images by striking an inked ribbon with a device that includes a print hammer and a wheel. In contrast, non-impact printers produce figures and images with no connection between the paper and the printing device.
2. Mechanical components are utilized in impact printers to carry out printing. In contrast, there is no mechanical moving element in non-impact printers.
3. Impact printers are noisy due to mechanical components. In contrast, non-impact printers make no noise.
4. Impact printers generate prints in a single colour. In contrast, non-impact printers offer a wide range of colour possibilities.
5. Impact printers have a low print speed. They take a long time to print a document. On the other hand, a non-impact model moves faster. It normally generates 300 words per second.
6. Impact printers print by striking a character dye or a metal pin. In contrast, non-impact printers print by depositing ink of any type on paper.
7. Impact printers rely on old printing processes. In contrast, non-impact printers utilize cutting-edge printing technologies.
8. Besides the dot matrix, the character style of the other impact printers cannot be modified. On the other hand, non-impact printers may produce a variety of figures from a single printer.
9. Impact printers are less costly. In contrast, Non-impact printers are more costly than impact printers.
10. Some instances of Impact printers are Daisy-wheel, Dot-matrix, and line printers. In contrast, some examples of non-impact printers are Laser printers and Inkjet printers.

Head-to-head comparison between Impact and Non-Impact Printers

Here, you will learn the head-to-head comparisons between impact and non-impact printers. The main differences between impact and non-impact printers are as follows:

Features	Impact Printer	Non-impact Printer
Definition	These printers create figures and images by striking an inked ribbon with a device that includes a wheel or a print hammer.	These printers produce figures and images with no connection between the paper and the printing device.
Printers Speed	These printers are lower than non-impact printers, consuming a huge time to print a page or document.	These printers are faster than non-impact printers, and these printers may print multiple pages per minute.
Technology	It utilizes old technology.	It utilizes the latest technology.
Noise Level	These printers produce high-level noise as they have various moving parts.	These printers have a low level of noise.
Cost	These printers are less costly.	These printers are costly.
Printing Mechanism	These printers print by striking a character dye or metal pin.	These printers print by dropping ink on any type of paper.
Printing Ink	When the print head impacts, they utilize special inked ribbons to make the print on paper.	It utilizes toner and cartridges to print the paper.
Graphic Images	Except for the dot matrix printer, it may not print graphics images.	It may print graphical images.
Print Quality	Its print quality is low.	Its print quality is high.
Nature of the paper sheet used	These printers utilize the continuous paper sheet.	These printers utilize the single paper sheet.
Character Style	Except for the dot matrix, the character style of the other impact printers may not be modified.	It may produce a variety of figures from a single printer.
Examples	Some examples of Impact printers are Daisy-wheel, Dot-matrix, and line printers.	Some instances of these printers are Inkjet printers and Laser printers.

Conclusion

Both kinds of printers have advantages and downsides. According to the above analysis, it is very clear that non-impact printers are more accurate and cost-effective than impact printers. Impact printers are the standard method of printers that may not print multiple copies of a document and be utilized for basic printing. On the other hand, non-impact printers are new printers built to improve regular printers’ features. These can make duplicates of a document.