Line Matrix Printers: Reports of its Death are Greatly Exaggerated
Posted by Mark Middendorf on Wed, Mar 02, 2011 @ 08:02 AM
Is the line matrix printer dead? To hear most IT and purchasing staff talk nowadays, you’d think so.
Many companies are questioning the value of line matrix technology. And some are planning their migration to laser.
In some ways, it’s tough to blame them. The price of laser printers continues to fall while their print quality keeps improving.
But does that mean line matrix printers are becoming obsolete? Hardly.
Three Reasons Why Line Matrix Still Matters
The truth is, line matrix printers carry the same advantages they always have. They’re notoriously reliable. They can operate effectively in harsh environments – more so than any other print technology. And they’re ideal for pre-printed and multi-part forms.
Yet, even if you use your printers exclusively in climate-controlled offices and have phased out pre-printed forms, there are three other reasons why line matrix printers may be the right choice for you:
Line matrix printers are “green.” Looking for an eco-friendly printer? When you consider energy consumption, longevity, and the impact on landfills through electronic and chemical waste, line matrix is the greenest way to print.
The fabric ink ribbon used in line matrix printers is relatively eco-friendly as compared to the fine particulate toner used by laser printers. In addition, the energy and materials used in the manufacturing of toner cartridges far exceeds that consumed in the manufacturing of ribbon cartridges.
Line matrix printers are cost-effective. One reason many fail to realize this is that toner yield has always been expressed in terms 8 ½ x 11 pages generated at 5% coverage, whereas ribbons for line printers have been rated in terms character yield. In any case, if we are to do the math, the cost per printed page is much less on a line printer, and becomes increasingly less expensive relative to laser as coverage increases. These facts are critical if you’re considering replacing your IBM 6400-series printers with laser, and demand that you consider whether laser resolution will be merited by the incremental operating expense. Increased cost of ownership aside, if your consideration to move to laser is the result of a desire to move away from pre-printed forms, and/or a need to gain more application flexibility… read on...
Leading edge Software enables new found application flexibility for Line matrix. Although the perception of limited flexibility with regard to line printing has for a long time been justified, thanks to new enterprise document management software, what was previously inconceivable is now possible. The migration away from legacy applications to ERP, WMS, or other current application systems no longer requires a shift away from line matrix.
Let’s dispel a couple of myths right now. Yes, it’s rare to see a brilliant graphical document that was printed on a line matrix printer. But that’s because the legacy applications typically used with these printers make it difficult to modify and enhance documents with graphics. Migrate to a software architecture that lets you graphically compose documents using a GUI, and you’ll be able to eliminate the cost and inflexibility of pre-printed forms, while reaping the many benefits of line matrix printing.
Using the appropriate document management software will also enable you to automate deliver of documents to digital archive, fax, email, or web in high-resolution full color as you wish, while simultaneously printing at a low cost on a line matrix machine. It’s clearly the best of both worlds.
Who Says You Can’t Go Home Again?
Now, maybe you’re one of the many who has already migrated away from line matrix. If so, it’s never too late to go back. Again, with the right document management software, input types can range from spool file data, XML, CSV, PCL, PDF, Word, or virtually any other input format, and allow for graphical and/or data manipulation, and native support for line matrix graphics language (PGL/IGP).
But if you haven’t migrated to laser yet, think hard about your next printer purchase. Assuming you have the right software architecture in place, you now have a chance to stay green, minimize business process changes and save money by upgrading to the latest line matrix technology.
Want to learn more on this subject? Download our new white paper, titled, "Line Matrix Printing: Dying Technology...or...More Relevant that Ever?!"