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History of Printers Timeline

(c. 1440–Present)

The history of printers traces the development of technologies that transformed writing, publishing, communication, and manufacturing, from mechanical presses to digital and 3D printers. Less

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Impact and line printers

IBM 1403 becomes a prominent line printer

1959

The IBM 1403 became perhaps the most popular line printer. It was available in both chain and train varieties.

Image source: IBM 1403

IBM 1403 becomes a prominent line printer

Impact printers press paper against ribbons

1960

A less common impact-printing arrangement strikes the back of the paper, pressing the paper against the ink ribbon. The IBM 1403 is an example associated with this approach.

Image source: Printer (computing)

Impact printers press paper against ribbons

Impact printers use ink ribbons

1960

Impact printers use a print head that hits the surface of an ink ribbon, pressing the ribbon against paper in a manner similar to a typewriter. This mechanism directly transfers ink through physical impact.

IBM 1443 exemplifies bar printing

1962

The IBM 1443 exemplifies a bar printer. In this design, the character set is attached to a solid bar that moves horizontally along the print line.

Image source: IBM 1443

IBM 1443 exemplifies bar printing

IBM 1132 exemplifies drum printing

1963

The IBM 1132 printer is an example of a drum printer. Drum printers are line printers built around a rotating drum carrying the character set.

Image source: IBM 1132

IBM 1132 exemplifies drum printing

Home computers adopt branded impact printers

1980 - 1985

During the early home-computer era, printers were manufactured under many brands. The Commodore VIC-1525, using the Seikosha Uni-Hammer system, is one example.

Image source: Dot matrix printing

Home computers adopt branded impact printers

Dot-matrix printers lose receipt-printing share

2000

After the end of the twentieth century, dot-matrix printers were being superseded even in receipt-printing applications. This reflected the declining role of the technology in everyday transactional printing.

Line printers reach 1100 lines per minute

2000

Line printers can print at 1100 lines per minute or faster. Their high throughput can allow them to print pages more rapidly than many current laser printers.

Image source: Line printer

Line printers reach 1100 lines per minute

Printronix P7000 remains in production

2013

The Printronix P7000 series of line-matrix printers was still being manufactured as of 2013. Its continued production showed that high-volume impact printing retained specialized uses.

Inkjet and solid ink

Winston patents electrostatic inking

1962

C. R. Winston of Teletype Corporation patented a printing mechanism for applying a marking medium to a recording medium. The patent described an electrostatic inking apparatus and a method for depositing ink on controlled areas.

Continuous inkjet printing is patented

1962

The 1962 Teletype patent, US3060429, used continuous inkjet printing. It is identified as the first patented printing mechanism of this type.

Teletype receives the inkjet patent

1962

Teletype Corporation became associated with the first patented electrostatic inkjet mechanism through C. R. Winston’s 1962 patent. The work connected controlled ink deposition with commercial printer development.

Image source: Teletype Corporation

Teletype receives the inkjet patent

Inktronic Printer reaches customers

1966

The Teletype Inktronic Printer, developed from patent US3060429, was delivered to customers in late 1966. It translated the patented continuous-inkjet concept into a commercial product.

Solid ink is first used commercially

1984

Solid ink, also called phase-change or hot-melt ink, was first used by Data Products and Howtek, Inc., in 1984. The technology used ink that was solid before being melted for printing.

Tektronix manufactures solid ink printers

1984 - 2001

Tektronix manufactured solid ink printers during the period when phase-change printing was being developed and commercialized. The company later exited the printer business.

Image source: Solid ink

Tektronix manufactures solid ink printers

Inkjet printing lowers desktop printer costs

1988

The HP DeskJet demonstrated how inkjet technology could provide laser-printer-like flexibility at lower cost. Its output could be somewhat lower in quality, depending on the paper used.

Image source: Inkjet printing

Inkjet printing lowers desktop printer costs

HP DeskJet is introduced

1988

The HP DeskJet was introduced in 1988. It offered flexibility comparable to a laser printer while using a substantially less-expensive printing mechanism.

Image source: HP DeskJet

HP DeskJet is introduced

Tektronix exits printer manufacturing

2001

Tektronix ceased manufacturing printers after selling its printer business to Xerox in 2001. This marked a change in ownership of the company’s solid ink printer operations.

Tektronix sells its printer business

2001

Tektronix sold its printer business to Xerox in 2001. The transaction transferred Tektronix’s solid ink printer business to Xerox.

Early mechanical printing

Epson invents the EP-101

1968

Japanese company Epson invented the EP-101, described by Epson as the first compact, lightweight digital printer. Its design marked a move toward smaller digital printing equipment.

Image source: Epson

Epson invents the EP-101

EP-101 is released

1968

Epson released the EP-101 in 1968. The compact digital printer helped establish a new direction for portable and lightweight printer products.

Babbage’s mechanical printer is built

2000

Babbage’s mechanical printer design was finally built in 2000. The completed apparatus demonstrated that his 19th-century concept could be realized mechanically.

Image source: Difference engine

Babbage’s mechanical printer is built

3D printers create physical objects

2010

The growth of 3D printing made it possible to create physical objects with an effort compared in the source to that required by early laser printers to produce a brochure.

Image source: 3D printing

3D printers create physical objects

3D printing gains intense interest

2010

Starting around 2010, 3D printing became an area of intense interest. The technology extended printing concepts from marks on paper to the creation of physical objects.

Laser and desktop printing

Laser printers become low-cost

1984

The introduction of a low-cost laser printer in 1984 made laser printing more accessible. This development helped bring high-quality computer-controlled printing into broader use.

Image source: Laser printing

Laser printers become low-cost

HP introduces the LaserJet

1984

The first HP LaserJet was introduced in 1984. Its arrival is described as a major trigger for the revolution in printing later known as desktop publishing.

Image source: HP LaserJet

HP introduces the LaserJet

Xerox 9700 reaches 120 pages per minute

1985

The Xerox 9700 could achieve a speed of 120 pages per minute. Its performance illustrated the high throughput available from advanced production laser printing systems.

Image source: Xerox 9700

Xerox 9700 reaches 120 pages per minute

Desktop publishing revolution begins

1985 - 1990

The introduction of the HP LaserJet and the addition of PostScript to Apple’s LaserWriter set off a revolution known as desktop publishing. Printing and page layout increasingly moved onto personal computers.

Image source: Desktop publishing

Desktop publishing revolution begins

Apple releases the LaserWriter

1985

The Apple LaserWriter brought PostScript-based laser printing to desktop users in 1985. It helped make sophisticated page composition and high-quality office printing practical on personal computers.

Image source: LaserWriter

Apple releases the LaserWriter

Apple adds PostScript to laser printing

1985

Apple added PostScript to the Apple LaserWriter in 1985. The combination of laser output and a page-description language accelerated the desktop-publishing revolution.

Image source: PostScript

Apple adds PostScript to laser printing

Personal computers dominate simple print jobs

1990

By 1990, many simple jobs such as fliers and brochures were created on personal computers and then printed with laser printers. This reflected the growing importance of desktop publishing.

Offset systems are discarded

1990

By 1990, expensive offset printing systems were being dumped as scrap for some simple printing tasks. Personal-computer-based laser printing had displaced them in parts of the market.

Hewlett-Packard leads the printer market

2020 - 2021

As of 2020–2021, Hewlett-Packard was the largest worldwide vendor of printers. The company was followed by Canon, Brother, Seiko Epson, and Kyocera.

Image source: Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard leads the printer market

Canon ranks second among printer vendors

2020 - 2021

As of 2020–2021, Canon ranked second among the world’s printer vendors, behind Hewlett-Packard. Its position formed part of the leading-vendor ranking for the period.

Image source: Canon Inc.

Canon ranks second among printer vendors

Brother ranks among leading printer vendors

2020 - 2021

Brother was listed among the leading worldwide printer vendors as of 2020–2021. It followed Hewlett-Packard and Canon in the stated ranking.

Image source: Brother Industries

Brother ranks among leading printer vendors

Seiko Epson ranks among leading vendors

2020 - 2021

Seiko Epson was one of the leading worldwide printer vendors as of 2020–2021. The ranking placed it after Hewlett-Packard, Canon, and Brother.

Kyocera ranks among leading printer vendors

2020 - 2021

Kyocera was included among the largest worldwide printer vendors as of 2020–2021. It followed Hewlett-Packard, Canon, Brother, and Seiko Epson in the stated order.

Image source: Kyocera

Kyocera ranks among leading printer vendors

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Key Facts

  1. Around 1440, Johannes Gutenberg developed a practical movable-type printing press in Mainz, Germany.
  2. The printing press greatly reduced the cost and time required to reproduce books and helped expand literacy across Europe.
  3. Industrial innovations in the 1800s, including steam-powered and rotary presses, enabled mass newspaper and book production.
  4. The invention of xerography in the 1930s led to modern photocopiers and influenced the development of laser printers.
  5. Inkjet, laser, thermal, and 3D printers now support home, office, commercial, scientific, and manufacturing applications.

Source

This History of Printers timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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