DOT MATRIX PRINTERS
Continued impact
If you received payslips in the 1990s, you're likely to be familiar with the distinctive sound of a dot matrix printer. Tech nowadays focuses on the sleek and unintrusive, running as silently and out of sight as possible, but there is a charm to knowing that your machine is thinking, and hearing it loudly whirring along to complete the task you gave it. You know when a dot matrix printer is present – its sound is so distinctive that it is a staple of pre-2000s ASMR. Today, these printers have been largely replaced by modern thermal and inkjet printers in offices and its use for home printing is also not as prevalent as it was in the 1980s and 90s. This niche does lead to impressive use cases driven by creative people Dot matrix printers were a staple of offices and businesses in the 1980s and 90s, and while thermal and inkjet printers have replaced many, they are still valued in certain niches and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, as Print in the Channel ’s resident analyst Wickus Bester explains.
Wickus Bester, B2B channel analyst Print in the Channel
Enduring appeal What is the appeal? Dot matrix
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printers make it extremely inexpensive to print large amounts of invoices, orders or logs at the same time. A key distinguishing feature is the continuous feed of paper running on little hooks. The use of tractor paper means that no friction is needed to pull the paper through the machine. Today’s dot matrix printers have moved with the times too. For instance, they have NLQ (near letter quality) printing while still being more cost-effective than thermal or inkjet printers. Not to mention that modern dot matrix printers can include professional branding in colour, meaning they become desirable in the hospitality industry. A hotel, for example, might use the same printed and branded form for check-ins, bar receipts and gift shop transactions.
though, such as generating artwork using only dot matrix pins, as seen here.
Use cases But the top use case can be found in any industry where efficiency can take
precedence over aesthetic. Those working in logistics, shipping or air travel often want a printer that can run for 10,000 hours at a cost- effective price. This is the mean time between failure of the LX-350 model for Epson, which is trending on Stock in the Channel . “Today we see lots of requests for our
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