Trystan Casey
The history of printing and printers dates back to the 480s, when a man named Gong Xuanyi claimed that a supernatural being had given him a printing block. However, the first computer printer was designed in the 19th century by Charles Babbage for his Difference Engine, an automatic mechanical calculator. The first electronic printer was the EP-101, created by the Japanese company Epson in 1968. The 1980s saw the introduction of the low-cost laser printer, with the first HP LaserJet released in 1984. Inkjet printers were also introduced in the late 1980s, and 3D printers were invented in 1984. Wireless printers were invented in 1993, and today, printers are crucial for specialist purposes like printing photography and artwork.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| First computer printer designed | Mechanically driven apparatus by Charles Babbage for his Difference Engine |
| Year of design | 19th century |
| Year of build | 2000 |
| First electronic printer | EP-101, created by Epson |
| Year of invention | 1968 |
| First wireless printer | Invented by Andrew Clams |
| Year of invention | 1993 |
| First 3D printer | Invented by Charles Hull |
| Year of invention | 1984 |
| First laser printer | HP LaserJet |
| Year of invention | 1984 |
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What You'll Learn
The first computer printer was designed in the 19th century
The history of printing is a long and fascinating one, stretching back to the early modern period. One of the earliest records of printing comes from the Book of Southern Qi, which mentions a man named Gong Xuanyi in the 480s. However, the first computer printer was designed much later, in the 19th century.
The first computer printer was a mechanically driven apparatus designed by Charles Babbage for his Difference Engine. The Difference Engine was an automatic mechanical calculator that produced error-free tables, a complicated process when done manually. Babbage's printer was designed to work with this machine, but it was not built until the year 2000, 150 years after its conception. The Science Museum in London completed the printer following Babbage's original blueprints, and it automatically prints the results of calculations performed by the Difference Engine.
The development of printing technology continued with the creation of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century. This press was based on previously known mechanical presses and allowed for the mass production of metal type. The high quality and relatively low price of the Gutenberg Bible established the superiority of movable type, and printing presses rapidly spread across Europe.
The next major innovation in printing technology came in 1938 with the reproduction of the first xerograph image by Chester Carlson. Carlson's method, which he called xerography, utilized dry ink (toner) and an electrically charged photoconductor-coated metal plate to create a copied image on paper. This technology was later commercialized by the Xerox Corporation.
The first laser printer intended for the mass market was released in 1984 by Hewlett-Packard, in partnership with Canon and Apple Computer. Known as the HP LaserJet, it played a significant role in popularizing desktop publishing. Inkjet printers, which had been developed in the 1950s, also became widely available in the late 1980s, after Canon and Hewlett-Packard overcame challenges with ink flow and print head clogging.
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The first electronic printer was the EP-101, created in 1968
The first electronic printer was the Epson EP-101, created in 1968 by the Japanese company Epson, a subsidiary of Suwa Seikosha Co., Ltd. The Epson EP-101 was a compact, lightweight, and durable mini-printer that was only 164 millimetres in width, 102 millimetres in height, 135 millimetres in depth, and weighed 2.5 kilograms. It was the smallest and lightest printer in the world at the time of its release and was designed for printing figures and symbols. The printer soon became extremely popular for use with the new electronic calculators that were entering the market.
The Epson EP-101 was a significant breakthrough in printer size and structure, and it consumed just one-twentieth of the power required by any previous printer. Epson engineers made skillful use of the company's expertise in watch manufacturing to develop the printer. The Epson EP-101 was also the first dot-matrix printer, and it represented the beginning of Epson's printer business.
The development of the Epson EP-101 was influenced by the timing printer that Epson created for the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games. Seiko Group, the official timekeepers for the Games, needed a machine that could print out the times gathered from their timepieces. After the Olympics, Epson recognised that the printing technology they had created could be marketed as a standalone product.
The name "Epson" was derived from the printer model "EP-101", with "son of EP" or "Epson" referring to the next-generation version of the printer. The Epson EP-101 printer was significant in the history of printing technology and paved the way for Epson's success in the printer business.
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The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century
The first electric printer was the Epson EP-101, created by the Japanese company Epson in 1968. This was also the world's first dot-matrix printer.
However, the first printing press was invented much earlier, in the 15th century, by Johannes Gutenberg. A German goldsmith and inventor, Gutenberg began designing his printing press in 1436. By 1440, he had established the basics of his press, including the use of a mobile, reusable set of type, and within ten years he had constructed a working prototype. By 1450, his printing experiments had reached a considerable degree of refinement, and he was able to persuade Johann Fust, a wealthy financier, to lend him 800 guilders—a substantial capital investment.
Gutenberg's press was built around the traditional screw press, with an added matrix on which individually cast letters and symbols could be arranged to form the desired text. This movable type design allowed pages of text to be quickly assembled from a pre-cast selection of letters and symbols, rather than being laboriously carved from a block of wood. In addition, Gutenberg introduced an oil-based ink that transferred from his metal type to the printing substrate much more effectively than the water-based inks that other printers of the era used.
Gutenberg put his press to commercial use in 1454, producing thousands of indulgences for the Church. The following year, he printed his famous 42-line Bible, the first book printed on a movable type press in the West. The high quality and relatively low price of the Gutenberg Bible established the superiority of movable type, and printing presses rapidly spread across Europe. This led to a burgeoning economical book-publishing industry, which spread globally across Renaissance Europe and beyond.
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The first laser printer was released in 1984
The history of printing is a long and fascinating one, stretching back to the medieval period. Late medieval German inventor Johannes Gutenberg created the first printing press in the 15th century, revolutionising the spread of knowledge and ideas across Renaissance Europe. His invention of movable type, along with the introduction of oil-based ink, set the standard for printing processes for centuries to come.
The first electronic printer, the Epson EP-101, was created by the Japanese company Epson in 1968. This was followed by the development of the first commercial laser printer, the IBM 3800, in 1976. Laser printing technology was invented at Xerox PARC in the 1970s by physicist Gary Starkweather, who realised that a computer could use a laser to "write" an image onto a copier drum. However, it wasn't until 1984 that the first laser printer intended for the mass market was released: the Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 8ppm.
The HP LaserJet 8ppm, or simply the LaserJet, was a groundbreaking product that popularised desktop publishing. It utilised a Canon CX engine, controlled by HP software, and was quickly followed by similar products from Brother Industries, IBM, and others. The LaserJet's release marked a shift towards laser printing technology, which offered higher quality text and graphics than previous printing methods.
The HP LaserJet sold for $3500 in 1984, weighing 32 kg (71 lb). Despite its high cost and issues with low-resolution graphics, the LaserJet and its successors played a pivotal role in making laser printers accessible to home and office users. Over time, the cost of laser printers decreased significantly, with monochrome laser printers becoming affordable for home-office use by the late 1990s.
The release of the first mass-market laser printer in 1984 was a significant milestone in the history of printing technology. It not only improved the quality of printed materials but also contributed to the democratisation of knowledge and information, building upon the legacy of Gutenberg's printing press centuries earlier.
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Inkjet printers were introduced in the late 1980s
The history of printing is a long and fascinating one, dating back to the semi-mythical record of Gong Xuanyi in the 480s, who claimed that a supernatural being had given him a printing method that did not require a brush. However, the first printing press was created by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century, revolutionising the publishing industry and enabling the global spread of knowledge.
Fast forward to the 19th century, and Charles Babbage designed the first computer printer for his Difference Engine, an automatic mechanical calculator. However, this printer was not built until 2000, following Babbage's original blueprints. The first electronic printer, the Epson EP-101, was created in 1968, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of printing technology.
The 1970s witnessed the development of the first inkjet printers, capable of reproducing digital images generated by computers. Companies like Epson, HP, and Canon played pivotal roles in bringing this technology to life. However, it wasn't until the late 1980s that inkjet printers became widely available to consumers.
Inkjet printers, introduced in the late 1980s, represented a significant advancement in printing technology. They offered versatility and superior colour reproduction compared to their laser printer counterparts. Inkjet printers operate by propelling tiny droplets of liquid ink onto paper or plastic substrates. This technology was first extensively developed in the early 1950s, but it faced financial and technical challenges that delayed its widespread adoption.
The late 1980s saw companies like Epson, HP, and Canon bring inkjet printers to market. These printers provided improved image quality and the ability to print on various media types and sizes. By the 2000s, high-quality printers had become commonplace, with prices dropping below $100. Inkjet printers rapidly displaced dot-matrix printers, and companies continued to innovate and improve their offerings.
Today, inkjet printers remain a popular choice, offering value and quality despite the emergence of newer technologies such as 3D printing and wireless printers. The introduction of inkjet printers in the late 1980s marked a pivotal moment in the evolution of printing technology, paving the way for the versatile and colour-rich printing capabilities we know today.
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Frequently asked questions
The first electronic printer was the EP-101, created by the Japanese company Epson in 1968.
The first laser printer was the Xerox 9700 Laser Printer, released in 1981.
The first consumer laser printer was the HP LaserJet, released in 1984.
Inkjet printers first appeared in 1976, but they didn't become common on the market until the late 1980s when Canon and Hewlett-Packard overcame issues with controlling the flow of ink.
Andrew Clams invented the wireless printer in 1993.
