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An impact printer is a type of computer printer that works by physically striking a ribbon against paper to create characters or graphics. This impact method, similar to a typewriter, allows for the creation of multi-part copies using carbon paper and is still used for forms that require them. Common types include dot-matrix printers and older daisy-wheel printers, but they are known for being noisy and having low print resolution, making them less common for high-quality graphic printing today.

How it works

A print head containing a series of pins or a fully-formed character moves across the page.

The print head strikes an inked fabric ribbon against the paper, leaving a mark. In dot-matrix printers, a pattern of pins forms characters out of dots; in daisy-wheel printers, a mechanism strikes a specific character on a circular wheel. The physical impact is what transfers the ink from the ribbon to the page.