Printronix MVP Series user manual Line Matrix Printing

Line Matrix Printing

Unlike moving–head serial dot matrix printers, the MVP–Series printers create graphics and characters by printing an entire dot row at one time. Dots are printed in both directions of shuttle travel, at a printer stroke length of .2” to print through two character positions. By printing a row of dots, dot matrix line printers achieve higher print duty cycles than moving head dot matrix (serial) printers.

During each sweep of the shuttle, hammers are activated to print dots at selected positions in that dot row. When the shuttle reaches the end of a sweep, it reverses direction, paper advances one dot row, and the hammers print the next consecutive row of dots.

After a line of characters is printed, hammer print action ceases while the paper advances to the first dot row of the next print line. The number of rows allowed for line separation depends on the line spacing selected.

ONE

CHARACTER

ROW

DIRECTION OF SHUTTLE MOVEMENT

DOT

ROW START

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8	*
9	* *
10

11SPACE

12

1

2

1 HAMMER	1 HAMMER
PRINT SPAN	PRINT SPAN

PAPER

ADVANCES

PAPER

FEED

PAPER

ADVANCES

**

* USED FOR LOWERCASE DESCENDER ONLY

** USED FOR UNDERLINE AND LOWERCASE DESCENDER

Figure 1–2. Line Matrix Printing

Overview 1–9