Which of the following is an example of a non-impact printer?

Concept

Printers are classified by whether the printing mechanism physically strikes an inked ribbon against paper.

Impact printers create marks through mechanical contact; non-impact printers form the image without such striking contact.

Application

A laser printer uses a laser to create an electrostatic pattern on a photosensitive drum. Toner adheres to that pattern and is then fused onto the paper by heat, so the image is produced without a print head or hammer striking a ribbon.

Contrast

• Dot Matrix: pins strike an inked ribbon against the paper.

• Daisy Wheel: a character-bearing spoke strikes the ribbon and paper.

• Line: mechanical print elements strike a ribbon to print an entire line.

Cross-check

The deciding test is physical striking contact. Dot Matrix, Daisy Wheel, and Line use it, whereas the laser process uses electrostatic imaging and heat fusion.

Therefore, the non-impact printer among the offered values is Laser.