Printer

A printer is a device that outputs digital documents and images to paper or other media. In banking and office systems, printers are used to print reports, contracts and checks, as well as for operational printing of protected documents.

What is a printer

A printer is a peripheral device that converts an electronic document into a printed copy on paper. Modern printers connect to a computer or network, receive print jobs and output them on sheets of different formats: A4, A5, and for legal documents — A4 and special forms. The main parameters of a printer are print speed (pages per minute, ppm), resolution (dots per inch, dpi), tray capacity and the cost per print. Printing can be black-and-white or color, and the type of device depends on the image formation technology.

Types of printers

By printing technology there are laser, inkjet, dot matrix and thermal printers. Laser printers print quickly, are cheap per print and are suitable for document flow; inkjet printers provide high-quality color printing of photos and graphics; dot matrix printers use impact technology and are used for printing checks and documents on multi-layer forms (for example, bank ones). Thermal printers print on thermal paper and are used for checks, labels and tickets. In the banking sector, specialized check printers and printers with protected printing for operational documents are often used.

How to choose a printer

The choice of printer depends on the print volume, document types and budget. For large volumes of document flow, a laser printer with fast printing, a duplex module and a large cartridge is suitable. For bank operating halls, compact models with a low noise level and a check printing function are chosen. It is important to take into account the cost of consumables, the presence of an RJ-45 network port and Wi-Fi, as well as driver compatibility with corporate systems. For protected documents, attention is paid to support for watermarks and microprints.

Printer and MFD: differences

A printer only prints, while an MFD (multifunction device) additionally scans, copies and often sends documents by fax or email. For companies that need not only printing but also digitization of documents, an MFD is more convenient and saves space. If only output to paper is required, a separate printer is easier to maintain and cheaper to buy.

Maintenance and consumables

For stable operation, a printer requires regular maintenance: replacement of cartridges or toners, cleaning from dust and timely driver updates. The cost of owning a printer consists of the device price, consumables and wear. In a corporate environment, printing is organized centrally through a print server: jobs are sent to a network printer, and usage is recorded and controlled by the security service. For example, printing confidential documents may require user authorization at the device itself.

Print management in an organization

In companies, printing is organized centrally using a print server and print job accounting services. This allows setting limits per user, controlling the consumption of paper and toner, and meeting information security requirements: printing confidential documents requires authorization and is held until confirmation at the device. Monitoring the condition of printers, timely replacement of consumables and scheduled maintenance reduce the number of failures and downtime in operational processes.