HELP: Looking for dot-matrix printer that can feed a 16 PART FORM!

[Tallgeese]

Got a client that has to print contracts on a particular 16 part form. Some of the pages are onionskins, so it's not a true 16, but its at least the equivalent thickness of a 10 or 12 part form.

Problems with the current printer:
* The printhead can barely move across the page, even set to the farthest away setting.
* It smears all the pages underneath as it goes across, so all you see are dark lines.
* Text is completely illegible on every page except the top one.

Two things to keep in mind:
* They can't use a different form (dictated to them from above) at all.
* The folks dictating the form have no suggested printer that can print the form.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give.

 

[Rpower]

The best in dot-matrix printers that I have used is Okidata. Give them a try.

 

[Tallgeese]

Already using an Oki (shoulda mentioned that).

The problem is not print quality...it's the maximum thickness of stock that it can feed successfully.

 

[Rpower]

I did a little look around and Okidata Pacemark 4410(RT$ 3117.99) has the highest form count at ten parts. Companys look at IBM, Lexmark, Tally, and Data South.

 

[Tallgeese]

Thanks! Appreciate your help.

Not sure if they wanna pay 3 large, but we'll see...

 

[ScottMac]

How important is speed?

How important is price?

You're probably not going to find a decent dot matrix that can do that kind of depth. The problem is that is if the paper is a little damp (like in high humidity), the pins get hung up in the paper,, the head moves on, and the pins get bent (and eventurllay jam or break off).

If speed is not an issue, then you might be able to score an old Diablo/Xerox daisy wheel printer (some of the later one/clones) could do 90CPS BIDI. With a metal print wheel, it could press 10 "carbons."

If speed is an issue, then you're probably looking at a band printer (AKA "Line Printer"). Same kind of impact as a daisy (harder actually), but somewhere in the "hundreds of lines" per minute category.

C.Itoh, LineTronix (something like that), Printronix, and IBM used to make some pretty decent printers. I tried a Google search on "Line Printers" and got a bunch of hits, check it out.

Good Luck

Scott

 

[Tallgeese]

Scott:

Thanks for the info.
Speed is definitely less important than price for this client, since we're not talking about a high volume of work.

 

[ScottMac]

Yeah, the big OKIs are wunnerful printers, but replaceing the heads is somewhere in the ~US$500.00 each range (at least a few years ago). Avoid printer with the high-density heads (if you go the DM route)...the pins are much thinner and more prone to bending/breaking.

Do a daisy-wheel (I don't think the NEC "Tulip" wheels were ever done in metal...which you need for that kind of depth (as still be able to read it). You might wanna brush up on your Serial port/RS232 reading too...my recollection was that most of 'em were serial (MF-some straight through, some crossover).

Edit: a couple more names for ya: I don't know if these guys are still around, but they used to make killer printers: Anadex and Genicom.

Good Luck, let "us" know how it came out.

Scott