Glossary
Auto Cutter – A mechanical device that automatically cuts the document after it’s printed as opposed to a manual tear bar, where the user is required to separate the
document from the roll. Auto cutters ensure a clean edge on each document which in turn limits the possibility of paper jams.
Black Mark Sensor – A black mark sensor or top of form sensor allows the printer to precisely align itself either at the top of a document, the top of a label, or to a specific
field of a pre-printed ticket or document. The most common use would be with labels, using a black mark sensor to align the printer precisely with each label with great
consistency. Black mark sensing relies on a “black mark” on the reverse side of the document that is positioned according to the printer’s specifications. The printer will
then use an optical sensor to locate this mark and align itself accordingly.
Device Drivers – Drivers allow for communication between programs on a computer and a printer. Several different types of drivers are available. The proper driver for a
given application will vary depending on the application on which the application is run.
Document Capture – Kiosk printers are charged with the task of presenting printed documents to the user. Unfortunately, not every user will remove his/her receipt from
the kiosk. Receipts that are left in the chute can result in paper jams, abandoned documents lying about on the floor, or the inadvertent sharing of sensitive information.
Document capture eliminates this concern by retracting untaken documents back into the kiosk housing. Typically, a bin will be located beneath the printer inside the
kiosk. Captured documents will then be dropped in this bin by the printer for later removal.
Interface – An interface is the physical connection through which data is sent to and from a printer. The following are the most common forms of communication
interfaces.
Ethernet – Ethernet is a form of communication between the host and the printer. The Ethernet specification also known as the IEEE 802.3 standard relies on
Cat5 (category 5) cables for connections and allows for long cable runs. Additionally, there is no requirement for the printer to be connected directly to the host,
only that the printer and the host be on the connected networks.
Parallel – Parallel communication generally refers to the IEEE 1284 specification. Specifically, parallel communication refers to the simultaneous transmission of
data over multiple wires. Parallel communication offers high speed, bi-directional communication between the printer and the host with standardized cabling.
Serial – Serial communication typically refers to the RS-232C specification. By definition serial communication relies on the sequential transmission of data over
a single wire. Serial communication offers simple cables with extended cable lengths, but is limited in the speed of data transmission.
USB – USB or Universal Serial Bus refers to an external device standard specifically intended for peripheral devices. While USB relies on serial communication,
the USB standard offers accelerated communication speeds of up to 12 Mbps. USB also allows for the use of up to 127 devices from a single port. Some devices
can even derive their power source directly from the USB port eliminating the need for an external power supply for the device.
Maintenance Counters – Maintenance counters allow a printer to report basic information to the user about the printer’s status. For example, the number of documents
that have been issued, the number of times the auto cutter has cut, and the number of times paper has been fed are few of the many ways the maintenance counter can
be used. Maintenance counters allow for the easy monitoring and scheduling of preventative maintenance.
