nonimpact printer
Quick Summary
A non-impact printer is a type of computer hardware that transfers digital information onto a medium, typically paper, without physically striking the surface. This distinguishes them from impact printers, such as typewriters or dot-matrix printers, where a printing element makes direct contact.123
Common types of non-impact printers include:
* Laser printers: Use a laser to attract toner to the paper.2
* Ink-jet printers: Spray liquid ink onto the paper.2
* Thermal printers: Use heated pins or transfer wax-based ink onto specially treated paper.2
Key characteristics of printers are resolution, speed, color capability, and cache memory. The first non-impact printers appeared around 1970.21
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