So you have to have a receipt printer but are baffled by the distinctive forms and models out there? This post requires you by means of the diverse sorts and explains which type is appropriate for which environments generating your decision simple and informed.
There are three major types of receipt printer
Thermal receipt printer
Thermal printers are now the most popular option of receipt printer as they are usually the most reliable and simple to use as they do not call for any ink or ribbons. The technologies relies upon chemically treated paper that is sensitive to heat. The printer heats the paper via holes in the print head to create text and graphics. Thermal printers are also regarded as the quickest kind of receipt printer printing up to 250mm second creating them pretty appropriate to rapid turnover environments such as supermarkets and higher street retail.
The 1 downside to thermal receipts, due to the technologies, is that they fade in sunlight and can turn black and unreadable if subjected to heat. Thermal receipts are thus unreliable for companies that require their receipts to remain readable for lengthy periods of time due to regulations. Dual colour can be obtained by some models at the larger finish of the market place with specific paper but the results can be disappointing and the technology is hardly ever utilised at present.
Thermal receipt printers are normally advisable for high turnover/ general retail and hospitality front of property.
Influence printers
This variety of printer usually requires a ribbon which holds the ink like a typewriter and makes use of an impact mechanism that stamps the characters by means of the ribbon onto the paper. Some printing devices can utilise paper that contain mcrocapsules of ink embedded into them that burst upon impact and thus do not require ribbons. Influence printers are easy identifiable as they are significantly noisier that other varieties of printer and are frequently significantly slower than thermal printers. Impact printers are commonly the sort that presents models with a two and three ply paper or a second roll for audit purposes. In recent years and in most environments this type of printer has been superseded by thermal printers due to their speed and lack of a will need for consumables other than paper.
In certain markets effect printers stay dominant as in the banking and gaming industries. Effect printers also tend to be employed in restaurant kitchens as thermal receipts are quickly erased by heat. Some industries such as banking and gaming have regulations concerning certain varieties of receipts and about the length of time receipts are expected to stay readable. Ink based receipts last significantly longer than thermal receipts and is as a result employed by these industries as normal. It is worth noting that ribbons come in unique colours such as purple, black, red and dual red/black with the latter ribbon being utilised to highlight certain transactions varieties such as refunds in red.
Effect receipt printers are recommended for kitchens, banking, gaming, and low turnover retail and hospitality environments.
Inkjet receipt printers.
printing batch number are regarded as the successor to effect printers as they also use ink but they offer you a superior printing top quality. Most inkjet printers allow printing through ink cartridges in two colours with ordinarily a mix of black, green, red and blue. Corporations commit a excellent deal of time and resources on brand recognition and making use of colour is a common way of undertaking this. The technology can also be put to fantastic use by printing colourful advertising or promotions on the receipt therefore generating return visits from the shoppers.
In reality the take up of inkjet receipt printers has been minimal. This is believed to be due to a couple of motives, firstly it is perceived that the changing of ink at the till point is difficult and time consuming and secondly the speed at which these printers operate is regarded too slow for main retailers to adopt. Inkjet receipt printers do having said that offer you the exact same longer lasting receipts as impact printers producing them appropriate for most organization types.
Inkjet receipt printers are suggested for low turnover retail, banks and gaming market.
Producers. So what brand need to I go for?
This market is properly serviced by numerous manufacturers with a wealth of choice and cost range. As with quite a few markets there is a massive influx of far eastern models at rock bottom prices. As with most factors that you purchase, you get what you spend for and it is worth noting that with the significant suppliers you have a tendency to get greater solutions that last longer and obtain superior support if some thing goes wrong. Remember if your receipt printer stops working you will uncover it extremely tough to trade. The common rule is the greater turnover your small business achieves the better the receipt printer you must invest in.
Anything else?
Recall that the receipt printer you select has to work with the computer software and hardware that you are going be employing. Firstly verify with the computer software supplier which brands and models the application supports. Also check that the printer you intend to invest in has drivers for the operating program that you are going to be employing. Lastly, make certain the printer has the appropriate interface for the hardware that you are going to be utilizing. These are generally serial (RS232), USB, parallel or Ethernet but rising up the ranks are wireless and Bluetooth.