A heavy-duty impact printer that creates text by striking a continuous, rapidly spinning steel band engraved with alphanumeric characters. As the correct letter on the band passes the target print position, a mechanical hammer fires from behind the paper, pushing the paper and an inked ribbon against the metal character. They were widely used in data centers for high-volume continuous forms.
The band printer is jamming again because the tractor feed holes tore on the last box of paper.
Related terms
Line printer
A high-speed impact printer that prints a complete line of text simultaneously.
Daisywheel printer
An impact printer that uses a rotating wheel of raised metal or plastic characters.
Dot matrix printer
An impact printing device that forms characters by striking an ink ribbon with a grid of tiny metal pins.