Printek Products
How to Select a Forms Printer

The forms printer is a vital element in a successful data processing system. By choosing good, dependable equipment that eliminates wasted effort and forms, the progressive IT manager can save the organization thousands of dollars in manpower, wasted material and downtime.

The following is a checklist to ask both yourself and a sales representative when reviewing forms printers.

1. Can it legibly print your thickest forms?

   Very few printers are capable of printing through thick forms legibly. This can cause added expense and problems due to errors in shipping, invoicing and accounting. The FormsPro and FormMaster printers are capable of printing up to 9-part forms, and the PrintMaster is capable of printing up to 5-part forms. With Printek printers you'll reduce expensive human error caused by faintly printed documents.
   

2. Does your printer waste forms during tear-off?

   Most conventional printers waste every other form when you tear documents off on demand. This waste is extremely costly, especially if you throw out 20 or more forms a day. At 10 cents each, 20 wasted forms per day is a loss of $500 a year! Printek printers eliminate wasted forms. Once you tear a form off, the next form is automatically positioned for printing. You never have to throw out a form, and this savings alone can help pay for the printer.
   

3. Will forms feed reliably? Does the printer have a jam detector and a fault recovery mode?

   One of the greatest problems with feeding forms through a printer is tenting and buckling. Forms of four or more plies tend to billow in the middle and jam after winding around the paper path. In the event of a jam, many printers continue trying to print, causing damage to the printhead and ribbon. And the entire print job must be rerun. In the unlikely event of a jam, Printek printers discontinue printing. A fault recovery mode allows the job to commence where it left off; it does not need to be rerun. Downtime is minimized.
   

4. Is the printer easy to load? Does it have foolproof alignment and safeguards against loading errors?

   The ideal printer will tilt back or open up for easy loading. It should have the ability to automatically align forms to eliminate unnecessary operator error. Printek printers open for easy access to the tractors. Sensors automatically align the form and insure that print placement is accurate, reducing errors and saving time.
   

5. What type of motor drives the printer?

   A key component of a forms printer is the stepper motor, which drives the tractor mechanism and moves the paper through the printer. If the printer isn't designed for heavy forms applications, this motor will stall or run out prematurely.

6. How long does the warranty cover the printer and printhead?

   Check the manufacturer's warranty carefully. Make sure that both parts and labor are covered. Printek has the industry's leading warranty--one year on the printer, and a two-year limited warranty on the printhead. Parts and labor are included.
   

7. If you are considering a multiple-track printer, does it have the capability to switch forms automatically through software commands?

   It's important to ask the right questions before investing in a new forms printer. Thorough homework will be rewarded with a system that runs smoothly, saves money and improves productivity and employee morale.

For more information on the Printek printers, call our Sales Department at (888) 211-3400, or e-mail us at info@printek.com.

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