What is Line Printer? Uses, Types & Limitations

Published: 30 Jan 2025

Did you know that line printers were some of the fastest printers many years ago? A line printer is a type of printer that prints an entire line of text all at once. These printers were used in big companies and places like banks because they could quickly print many pages. Let’s learn more about a line printer and how it works!

What is line printer? image shows line printer

Table of Content

What is Line Printer?
How Does a Line Printer Work?
Types of Line Printers
Uses of Line Printers
Advantages and Disadvantages of Line Printers
Conclusion
Common Question about line printer

What is Line Printer?

A line printer is a machine that prints a full line of text at once. It works much faster than other printers that print one character at a time. Line printers were commonly used in large offices and businesses to print a lot of documents quickly. They are known for their speed and ability to handle large volumes of printing. Today, they are not used much anymore, but they were very popular in the past.

How Does a Line Printer Work?

A line printer prints a whole line of text at once, not just one letter at a time. It’s faster because it prints the entire line in one movement. The printer uses a rotating drum or chain that has all the letters, and the paper gets hit by tiny hammers or pins to print the text.

How it Works:

Rotating Drum or Chain: It has a drum or chain with letters that spin around.
Hammers or Pins: Tiny hammers or pins hit the paper and create the text.
Fast Printing: It prints a whole line at once, making it very quick.
Impact Printing: It strikes the paper to print, unlike modern printers.

Types of Line Printers

There are different types of line printers. Each one is made for a specific printing need. They all print lines of text in different ways and use different technology to print quickly.

Infographic shows different types of line printer

Drum Printer

A drum printer has a rotating drum with characters on it. As the drum spins, the right characters line up with the paper. The characters print the entire line. Drum printers are very fast but have fewer characters to choose from.

Chain Printer

A chain printer has a rotating chain with characters on it. When the chain moves, the characters hit the paper. This creates lines of text. Chain printers are faster than other types, especially for printing many pages.

Band Printer

A band printer uses a band of characters. This band moves across the paper to print the text. It works like the chain printer but uses a band instead. Band printers are fast and reliable.

Wire Printer

A wire printer uses small wires to hit the paper and make characters. The wires strike the paper with an inked ribbon. Wire printers were used in the past because they were simple and fast, but they are rare today.

Wheel Printer

A wheel printer uses a wheel with characters on it. The wheel looks like a flower. As the wheel spins, it strikes the paper and prints one line of text at a time.

Uses of Line Printers

Line printers were used in many places because they could print a lot of text very quickly. They were popular in businesses and large organizations where lots of printing was needed.

Some uses of line printers:

Printing large documents: Used for printing long reports or records.
Business offices: Commonly used in offices for tasks like printing invoices or receipts.
Banks: Used to print statements and transaction records quickly.
Factories: Printed labels, shipping tags, and inventory lists.
Hospitals: Printed patient records and medical reports.
Libraries: Used to print catalog lists or other large print jobs.
Government offices: Printed forms, official documents, and records.
Airlines: Printed boarding passes and ticket information.
Warehouse: Printed shipping labels and product lists.
Schools: Used for printing student records and exam papers.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Line Printers

Line printers were popular for their speed and efficiency, especially in businesses and offices with high-volume printing needs. However, like any technology, they come with both benefits and limitations.

Benefits
Fast printing speed Low cost for large print jobs High durability Ideal for high-volume printing Simple to maintain Continuous paper usage Reliable for businesses High printing output Long-lasting Easy to repair

Limitations
Cannot print graphics Loud noise during printing Slower for smaller jobs Limited to text only Outdated technology Requires large space Low print quality compared to modern printers Heavyweight Limited font options High maintenance for certain models

Conclusion

So, guys, it’s time to wrap up! In this guide, we’ve covered line printers in detail. Line printers were really good for printing lots of pages quickly, but today’s printers are better for things like pictures and colors. If you need a printer for home or school, I recommend checking out other types of printers. Keep reading our guides to learn more!

Common Question about line printer

Below are FAQs with easy answers to explain line printers.

What is a line printer?

A line printer is a type of printer that prints a whole line of text at once, instead of printing one letter at a time. It was used in businesses where a lot of printing was needed quickly. They were fast and efficient for large jobs like printing reports or invoices.

Why were line printers used in the past?

Line printers were used because they could print a lot of pages in a short time. This made them perfect for large companies that needed to print lots of documents quickly. They were especially helpful in places like banks and offices.

How fast is a line printer?

Line printers were very fast compared to other printers in the past. They could print many pages per minute, making them great for printing large amounts of text. However, they are slower compared to modern printers that can print both text and images.

What kind of paper does a line printer use?

Line printers usually use continuous paper that comes in long rolls or sheets with holes on the sides. This paper allows the printer to print continuously without stopping to load new pages. It was easy to feed the paper into the printer for long print jobs.

Can line printers print pictures?

No, line printers cannot print pictures or graphics. They are only able to print text in a line-by-line fashion. If you need to print images, you would need to use a different type of printer, like an inkjet or laser printer.

Are line printers still used today?

Line printers are mostly outdated today and are rarely used. However, they were once very popular in businesses for printing large amounts of text. Now, modern printers are preferred because they are faster and can print both text and images.

Where were line printers commonly used?

Line printers were commonly used in businesses like banks, offices, and factories. They were used to print reports, invoices, receipts, and records. These printers helped with large printing jobs where speed was important.