triple copy printing

[bamse]

Hello,

I am looking for a solution to print documents in triple copy.
I know this is possible using the good old dot-matrix printers and
carbon copy paper, but they're so noisy and slow, that an alternative
solution (preferably using my current laser printer) would be perfect.
Basically I need to print black and white on 3 different colored papers
(say white, blue, red for instance, but I don't care about the colors).
Printing quality is not really an issue, document life-time is no
longer than a day or so.

Does anyone know about something like this ? (I couldn't find anything
on the web or usenet, I have no idea how this is called in english...)

Thanks a lot for any tips.

Laurent

 

[zakezuke]

I know this is possible using the good old dot-matrix printers and

carbon copy paper
Does anyone know about something like this ? (I couldn't find anything
on the web or usenet, I have no idea how this is called in english...)

I've seen "carbonless" paper for lasers, as in you can sign the top
sheet and the pressure from the pen discolors the lower sheet. It has
been a while since i've seen true cabon paper, as in black on one side
paper on the other. The only company I know of who makes it is NCR,
though usually the few times i've seen are on pre-printed forms, pre
marked and perforated and obviously duplexed with the center leaf
printed upside down so when folded twice you get triplicate almost as
nice as old dot matrix carbon triplicate. When asked I was told it was
just something they ordered from their printshop.

 

[Don Phillipson]

I am looking for a solution to print documents in triple copy.
I know this is possible using the good old dot-matrix printers and
carbon copy paper, but they're so noisy and slow, that an alternative
solution (preferably using my current laser printer) would be perfect.
Basically I need to print black and white on 3 different colored papers

Printing in a single pass on two or more layers of paper
(with or without carbon paper) requires an "impact printer."
Neither a laser printer ("page printer") nor an inkjet is an
impact printer. Your only alternatives appear to be:
1. Single-pass printing on a dot matrix printer
2. Printing (on a laser or inkjet) multiple passes, one
for each copy desired. This will also require collation.

 

[bamse]

Thanks a lot for your answers.
Then I'll add a new question about printing using the laser printer.
Does any supplier sell something like multi-colored sets of paper. I'm
thinking of something like a rack of paper with alternating colors, so
that collated printing would bring the expected result.

Not sure wether this is clear...

Thanks for any further help.

Laurent

 

[Warren Block]

Then I'll add a new question about printing using the laser printer.
Does any supplier sell something like multi-colored sets of paper. I'm
thinking of something like a rack of paper with alternating colors, so
that collated printing would bring the expected result.

Possibly. What happens when there's a misfeed of one page and the paper
gets out of order, though?

Consider multiple input trays on the laser. The software would be
configured to pull one page from each tray. Much easier for the users
to keep each tray stocked with a single color.

 

[drc023]

Zake,
When dealing with carbonless papers, the term NCR has become so generic that
it usually means No Carbon Required, not that NCR Corp. is the only source
although it was a partnership of Appleton Paper and NCR Corp. that developed
the first carbonless sheets. NCR Paper is a trademarked name however.
Nashua, Mead, Wausau, Imation and Appleton along with who knows how many
Asian and European makers also produce carbonless papers. Each sheet in a
carbonless set has a specific coating. The top sheet is CB (coated back),
each middle sheet is CFB (coated front and back) and the bottom sheet is CF
(coated front). The following link provides a great deal of info into the
makeup of the papers.
http://www.appletonideas.com/webapp...aqs?langId=-1&catalogId=239327&storeId=139327
Carbonless papers can be purchased as pre-collated sets with 2 to 6 sheets
per set or as individual sheets when the color order of pre-collated sets
doesn't match the job requirements. There are laser compatible carbonless
papers or ones that are suitable only for offset printing. They also come
pre-perfed or no perf. A special padding solvent is required to glue the
sets together. It can be quite toxic. Carbonless papers are quite expensive
compared to ordinary bond.

 

[Arthur Entlich]

To do this with a laser printer, you need to literally print 3 copies,
each on a different color paper. The only impact printers in common
use, that will drive an image through several thicknesses is the dot
matrix or daisy wheel style printers. Dot matrix is better of the two
for speed and variable fonts and simple graphics.

There are laser printers that can print from several paper hoppers so
you could load it with three different color papers each in one tray and
write a small script to print one copy of each document, using one page
from each of the 3 colors per page printed.

Otherwise, you *could* make up or maybe buy paper that is sequenced with
the three colors. The only problem is a paper jam or skipped sheet of
paper could mess your whole system up.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

The idea is clear, but it can be problematic.

If you printer jams, you have to make sure to remove the other two
sheets to keep the sequence correct. More difficult to control is when
two pages stick together due to static for instance, then you could end
up really out of synch.

Art

 

[Arthur Entlich]

I was again late coming in on this, but I have to agree with your POV.

Art

 

[bamse]

well, thanks a lot for all those answers. I guess I'll have to stick to
dot matrix then, but at least there's less wondering now :O)

Laurent

 

[Malcolm Young]

Hi Laurent,

I am looking for a solution to print documents in triple copy.
I know this is possible using the good old dot-matrix printers and
carbon copy paper, but they're so noisy and slow, that an alternative
solution (preferably using my current laser printer) would be perfect.
Basically I need to print black and white on 3 different colored papers
(say white, blue, red for instance, but I don't care about the colors).
Printing quality is not really an issue, document life-time is no
longer than a day or so.

For a one page document put a sheet of each colour in the printer for a
multi page document assuming it prints the complete document 3 times then
you need to know how many pages then put x sheets of white , x sheets red
etc. if the printer print 3x page 1 then 3x page 2 etc then you need to put
sets of the colours in the printer.

BTW if you want to make the page easy to read do not use red or any other
dark colour.

Regards, Malcolm.

 

[Martin]

well, thanks a lot for all those answers. I guess I'll have to stick to
dot matrix then, but at least there's less wondering now :O)

Laurent

Completely out of left field but here's a thought..

Why not put together a document that copies all the data to 3 seperate
copies (later pages of one document) but with big bold colour blocks on
each. Use a colour inkjet or even a laser to print with and you get a
colour coded sheet with all the information copied.

Only down side is that it's not specifically coloured paper but at least
it's a close second.

Like I said, completely way out there suggestion but worth noting

Martin

 

[Gary Tait]

For a one page document put a sheet of each colour in the printer for
a multi page document assuming it prints the complete document 3 times
then you need to know how many pages then put x sheets of white , x
sheets red etc. if the printer print 3x page 1 then 3x page 2 etc
then you need to put sets of the colours in the printer.

BTW if you want to make the page easy to read do not use red or any
other dark colour.

Nobody wants to do that by hand. One would need an multi-feed system, so it
would print one color at a time, each from a different tray, and either out
one place, or out separate places. One could go so far as to have different
printers in different places for each paper, in that you have the customer
receipt printed out at the till, one printed out at accounting, and one
printed out at the warehouse, so the workers there can prepare the customer
order.

 

[Ed Ruf]

To do this with a laser printer, you need to literally print 3 copies,
each on a different color paper. The only impact printers in common
use, that will drive an image through several thicknesses is the dot
matrix or daisy wheel style printers. Dot matrix is better of the two
for speed and variable fonts and simple graphics.

You are forgetting about the older chain drive printers, such as those
made by Printronix.

 

[zakezuke]

You are forgetting about the older chain drive printers,

such as those made by Printronix.

Did that look something like a tank track with a series of hammers for
example 80 for a4 or 120 for wide carrige? Rather like an older
revision of modern line matrix.

I had one once, it in fact was my first printer. Decent quality and
printed almost 120 characters per second. Dotmatrix printers later
reached this speed so I was no longer as impressed, well except like
daisy wheel it was letter quality.