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Cambridge IGCSE ICT
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Figure 2.14  Different kinds of printer: (a) laser printer (b) inkjet printer (c) dot matrix printer (d) wide format printer (e) 3D printer 30
Dot matrix printers Dot matrix printers use a set of pins to press an inked ribbon against the paper. Where the pin hits against the paper a coloured dot is left. These dots can be arranged in patterns to produce the required output on the paper. Dot matrix printers are slower than other types because the method used in printing is mechanical. This also makes them very noisy.
Wide format printer Some offices have a use for a wide format printer, possibly to print out a huge spreadsheet. For graphic arts use they are also important in order to output layouts, posters and more. Individuals may also want to print out their photographs in a wide format. QUESTION 2.13
a Discuss the possible disadvantages of a wide format printer. b Research the possible sizes of wide format printers to find out how wide is wide!
3D printers You will have familiarised yourself with 3D printers in the discussion of emerging technologies in Section 1.05 of Chapter 1.
Plotters A plotter is an output device for printing vector graphics. A vector graphic, unlike normal image formats (.jpeg, .bmp or .gif, for example), is not made up of pixels; vector graphics follow a path with a start and end point that may create a line, square, triangle, curve or other shapes. A plotter uses pens to draw the vectors, giving a hard copy of the output that is sharp and clean and therefore ideal for being used to print designs of ships, machines, plans for buildings, for engineering or for architecture. Plotters used to be used with applications such as computer aided design (CAD). However, this work is being taken over by wide format conventional printers. There are two basic types of plotter (see Figure 2.15). Flatbed plotters have the paper lying flat under the pens. The pen itself is attached to a motor in a very similar way to the print head of an inkjet printer. A drum plotter lies the paper on a drum that spins to drive the paper under the pen while the pen itself moves across the drum. They are very similar in principle to the flatbed plotter but take up less space. They can occasionally still be found being used for applications where a different tool is used rather than a pen, such as vinyl cutting for sign making.