Receipt Printers - Their Different Types and Parts

Irrespective of the business you’re into, the ultimate goal is customer satisfaction. A convenient order and check-out process provides your customers with a satisfactory user experience. In today’s digitised world, when maximum purchases are made online, you need to up your game and ensure that you not only encourage potential customers to purchase from your store but also give them a reason to come back to your store.

Most brick-and-mortar stores provide their customers with a receipt every time a business transaction is made. This receipt contains information about the customer’s purchase like the item’s SKU number, the total amount paid, date of purchase, the payment method, etc. The receipts also act as proof of purchase while returning or exchanging a purchased product. Usually, most one-box POS systems come with a printer that prints these receipts. However, in case you are purchasing the POS hardware separately, make sure you purchase a powerful printer for your business.

Wondering what a POS System is?

A point-of-sale (POS) is the place where a retail transaction is completed. Here, the merchant calculates the total amount of the purchased item and the customer makes the payment. The hardware and software that you would require to make the sale is the point-of-sale system. Unlike yesteryear’s cash registers at retail stores, modern-day POS systems are digital, and if there’s a long queue at the checkout counter of your store, you can checkout customers wherever you are using the POS app and a portable, electronic device with good internet connection.

In short, a POS system can

·       Optimise checkout process

·       Offer customers with multiple payment options

·       Offer discounts that benefit both your business and your customers

·       Carry out loyalty programs

·       Remove the scope of human errors

·       Reduce business losses

·       Manage your employees.

One of the hardware that you would require to optimise the payment process is a receipt printer. There are 3 different types of receipt printers – inkjet, dot matrix, and thermal printer.

 

1.     Inkjet Printer: Used to create high-quality logos and print coupons on receipts, the inkjet printers function by shooting small droplets of ink on paper using print heads. Inkjet printers are multi-functional devices that are used for scanning, printing, and copying. 

Advantages of Inkjet Printers 

·       Compared to the other types of printers, the initial cost of an inkjet is less. In fact, it is the least costly printer that produces high-quality images. Even the multi-functional printer is budget-friendly. Therefore, for office related work, it is the perfect option as companies can purchase several inkjet printers at an affordable rate and save their employee’s time and enhance their productivity. 

·       Inkjet printers, as the name suggests, work using ink. The ink cartridges are highly pigmented and thus produce a high-quality output for both texts and images. The fine and smooth detailing is what makes inkjet printers a good option for printing high-resolution images.           

·       Unlike other printers, inkjet printers do not require pre-heating before it starts to print. Therefore, it makes printing quicker and easier. 

·       Inkjet printers are small in size which means they won’t occupy much space. The advanced versions are also compact and do not require much space. 

·       Inkjet printers are not only small in size, they are lightweight too and can be plugged in and used anywhere. You can move them wherever you wish to use them. 

·       The best part about using an inkjet printer is that it doesn’t cause a distraction by creating loud noises during its operations.

 

Parts of an inkjet printer

·       Print Head: The print head comprises a series of nozzles indicating the quality and resolution of printed pictures or characters as per their sizes and numbers. 

·       Ink Supply System: Depending on the type of printer, the ink supply system varies. They come in several combinations according to the manufacturer and the printer model. You can purchase black and coloured cartridges separately or a single cartridge with all the colours. A continuous ink system (CIS), also known as the continuous ink supply system (CISS) is used for delivering a large volume of liquid ink into a small inkjet print head and is one of the cost-effective modes of printing. CISS is beneficial for businesses that print frequently and in large quantities. For example, colour copying, printing for digital media, printing photos, posters, or promotional materials. 

·       Stepper Motor: This part moves the print head back and forth across the paper. There are models of inkjet printers that come with another stepper motor that helps in parking the print head when the printer is not being used. 

·       Belt: To attach the print head assembly to the stepper motor, the belt is used. 

·       Stabiliser Bar: The stabiliser bar is used to ensure that the movement is precise and controlled.

 

2.     Dot Matrix Printer: Also known as impact printers, dot matrix printers work by producing a series of dots in the form of letters on the receipt paper. This printer also functions by using an ink ribbon and tiny pins that are mounted on the print head. However, they can only print in two colours – black and red. Dot matrix printers can print graphics too and are also cost-effective as the only operating cost involves replacing paper and ribbons. These are also popular in kitchens. Therefore, if you are planning to buy kitchen printers online, browse through POS Plaza’s range of dot matrix printers.

 

Advantages of dot matrix printers: 

·       Dot matrix printers are not only cost-effective but are also easily available in the market. 

·       You can make carbon copies of printouts using dot matrix printers which cannot be done using other printers. 

·       The printing costs are low as compared to other printers as they use inks in two colours only- black and red. 

·       Since the printout fades slowly instead of stopping suddenly, you get a sufficient amount of time to change the ribbon and avert any crisis. 

·       Just like the initial cost and printing cost, the maintenance cost of a dot matrix printer is low too. 

·       Dot matrix printers can withstand hot climatic conditions, especially in an industrial setup.

 

           Parts of a dot matrix printer

·       Print Head: The square block with a series of pins is called the print head. The number of pins can differ depending on your printer’s model. High-quality printers can have up to 24 pins whereas the cheaper ones have about 9 pins. The print head also has an electrical solenoid that fires the pins out as soon as the electrical current is passed. These pins hit the ribbon and the paper creating a print on the paper. 

·       Platen: This is an essential component of a dot matrix printer. It is the roller around which the printing paper is rolled. The platen looks like a cylinder and holds the paper in place and works as a support to which the print head can hit. 

·       Tractor Feed: The tractor feed pulls continuously fed papers up through the printer. It pulls the paper and rolls it around the platen. 

·       Ribbon: The ribbon contains the ink that is transferred to the paper. 

 

3.     Thermal Printer: These are the most commonly used kind of printers that are costlier than the other two mentioned above. But, the biggest advantage of using thermal printers is that it saves the business money. Thermal printers work by making direct contact between the thermal head (creating head) and thermal paper (chemically coated to react to heat). This type of printer does not require any kind of ink or toner, hence saving the business’s money on ink cartridges. These printers produce high-quality images quickly and quietly and can print in multiple colours on both sides of a paper.

Thermal printers are used specifically for gaming, barcodes, KIOSK system, labels, Gas stations, medical equipment, measuring instrument, tickets, etc.

 

Advantages of thermal printers 

·       Thermal printers not only have a high printing speed, but they also do not make noise while printing; hence saving you and your employees from getting distracted during work. 

·       These are more durable as compared to other printers and produce clear high-quality images. 

·       With thermal printers, you can avoid the hassle of changing cartridges or ribbons as they work on heat, thus saving your or the organisation’s investment. 

·       Undoubtedly, thermal printers are more efficient compared to the rest but their efficiency and speed increase when printing monochromatic texts or images. 

·       These are easy to operate as they come with only a few buttons and have a few moving parts and accessories. 

·       Thermal printers are available in various models and sizes which makes them a tad expensive.

 

Parts of a thermal printer 

·       Thermal Head: The thermal head generates heat that causes a thermochemical reaction and prints on the printing paper. 

·       Platen: It is the rubber roller used to feed paper into the printer. 

·       Spring: This applies pressure to the thermal head, keeping it in contact with the thermo-sensitive paper.

How to use a receipt printer?

Step 1: Ensure that you have all the receipt printer accessories before starting. Connect your receipt printer to the electric socket.

Step 2: Connect your printer to your computer. If you have a POS computer, connect the printer to it and synchronise all essential data.

Step 3: Ensure that you are using the right kind of paper for the right printers. For example, a thermal printer will need thermal printing paper. Load the papers correctly, up from the bottom and not the other way round. Check if the papers are straight and wrinkle-free.

Step 4: Once all of the above is handled, click on the start button and the printing will begin immediately.

Conclusion

Starting from receipt printers to receipt printer accessories, ID card printer ribbons, and other POS components, visit POS Plaza – a leading store in Australia for all your POS needs. Our experts will assist you in picking the right receipt printer for the smooth functioning of your business