Ok, question about cash registers.

[Plaidman]

Didn't know where to put this, and off-topic seemed the best.

I was looking at the giant pile of reciepts in the recycle bin. (Maybe 1 in 20 customers take the receipt) when it occord to me. I've never had to change ink to the recipt giving thing. Then I relized that it doesn't require ink. Seriously? HOW THE HECK DOES THAT WORK? I mean if they don't require ink, or anything, why shell out the 20 bucks for ink cartiges?

Plaidman: Techno noob.

[Broomjockey]

It works using heat sensitive paper, and basically "burns" the writing on to the paper. The problem is, this paper, depending on the printer, can be as much as $50 a roll, possibly more. The old printer for Game Boys, to work with the camera, used the same kind of paper. If you handle it too much, the writing will fade, as well. Not exactly the best for mass consumer consumption.

[counterjockey]

Flipping through a book, I found a Barnes & Noble receipt between two chapters. I was pretty sure I brought the book three or four years ago but as the receipt was completely blank there was no way to know. How it faded like that, on one bookshelf after another, heck if I know.

Iowa Lottery terminals use the same paper. This becomes fun when people bring in older than middle-aged dirt tickets and expect me to check them. As they're mostly faded out from years tucked up under the sun visor in the car, the best I can usually do is print out the winning numbers from the date in question and leave the customer to their own devices. (Not a good idea outside of this instance.)

[lordlundar]

The type of paper used is called thermal paper. Any heat source above a particular level causes it to turn black, even if the paper is a long way from actually burning. The printers for these use a laser to directly heat the paper with high precision.

Several problems with using these types.

1. Both the printer and paper are expensive. Printers are easily 3 times the cost of a standard laser, and paper is about 10-12 times the cost.

2. Can't do color

3. Doesn't archive well. Oil wipes the black out, and the paper is temperature sensitive.

As such, they are used only for particular purposes.

[Linda]

This is why I get annoyed when our till rolls are stored next to the photo labs which kick out a fair bit of heat. At £30 a box, they are not a cheap thing to buy, and it bugs me no end when I open the box to a pile of receipt paper which has all gone black.:rolleyes:

[HYHYBT]

The fact that they tend to erase themselves with age cuts down on warranty claims, though :)

They do have their advantages (receipt-type printers only): much faster and more reliable than the dot matrix printers we had before, no ink to buy (or gradually fade out to nothing because no one bought any) and it turns out that, from our supplier anyway, the paper is almost the same per roll as the other kind. I just wish Pizza Hut would get something else for the slips that say which pizza is whose, because they turn black in the warmer. Glad I don't work there, besides I'd hate to get sick of my favorite food in the world :)