When you think of a dot matrix printer, you might think of that distinctive, repetitive whine so many of them seem to have. Though that noise might take you down memory lane, the truth is you probably passed a matrix printer the last time you were at the grocery store.  Even though laser and inkjet printers reign in the American office space, matrix printers are still extremely popular choices in cash registers, ATMs, and anywhere else a steady stream of paper is desirable. Matrix printers also remain popular thanks to their reliability and simplicity. As it turns out, that simplicity is driven by one of our favorite scientific concepts: magnetism.

How Magnets Create Text

Matrix printers are remarkably simple when you look inside, and they work much like typewriters with their hammers. In matrix printers, the tiny dots used to create text are actually made by pins on the end of tiny hammers. These hammers are placed on springs, and they’re held away from the paper in a “locked” position by small permanent magnets. When a dot is needed on a page, an electric current is sent through the hammer spring, creating a small electromagnetic field. This magnetic field then reacts against the permanent magnet holding the hammer in place. Because the two magnetic fields are working against each other, the hammer is driven away from the permanent magnet toward the paper, where the attached pin leaves a small dot. Repeated over and over again, a series of dots creates a single letter, and eventually an entire paragraph. Think about it like the screen you’re reading this article on. Hundreds of pixels work together to create individual letters.

Pumping More Out of the Design

Matrix printers come in two basic designs: dot matrix and line matrix. A dot matrix printer, as the name suggests, uses only single dots to print text. As a result, their speed runs anywhere between 30 and 1,500 characters per second. A line matrix printer, meanwhile, prints an entire line of dots — spanning from one side of the page to the other — at one time. It writes a page by quickly working its way down the page, creating every letter as it goes. This enables the printer to work much faster, spitting out long streams of paper. Line matrix printers can easily print more than 1,000 characters per second, churning out hundreds of pages per hour. Regardless of whether you use a dot matrix or line matrix, the concept is the same: Magnetism drives pins onto a page, where they’ll leave a small dot of ink.

Rely on Apex Magnets

There are countless products in the market that rely on magnets, and Apex Magnets can ensure they’re equipped with the right magnets. Contact Apex Magnets for help determining which magnets are the best for you, or browse through our catalog to see all of our options.