Printronix P5000LJ user manual Printing Speed

Printing Speed

One Text

Line

Direction of Shuttle Movement

Dot

Row Start

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 *

9 * *

10

11 Number of rows is determined by line spacing. n

1

2

*This row is used only for lowercase descenders.

**This row is used for underlining and lowercase descenders.

Paper

Feed

Direction

Figure 3. Dot Matrix Line Printing

Printing Speed

The speed at which text prints is measured in lines per minute (lpm). This speed is directly proportional to the number of dot rows required to produce a character line, regardless of the number of characters in the line. More dot rows are required to print lowercase characters with descenders; consequently, those character lines print at a fractionally lower rate.

The printer also prints dot-addressable graphic images. The speed at which graphics are plotted is measured in inches per minute (ipm). Unidirectional plotting produces slightly better print quality and takes about twice as long as bidirectional plotting. You can select either plotting mode from the control panel.

Printing and plotting rates also vary according to the print mode you select. Print mode refers to the way you instruct the printer to create characters. If, for example, you select standard quality (data processing) mode, the printer uses more dot rows to form characters than if you choose Sparse (high speed) mode. Character formation and print speed are faster in Sparse mode, because the printer prints fewer dot rows to form characters. Vertical dot density is a factor in printing speed.

Nominal printing rates are charted in Appendix A.

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