Dust and paper scraps and bits can collect in the bottom of the paper path in an
inkjet printer. On a fairly regular basis, you should check out the inside of the
paper path and remove the paper scraps and blow out any dust or paper bits
that have accumulated with compressed air. Always wear eye protection when
using compressed air, especially when blowing about bits of paper.Dot Matrix Printer Two primary components cause a dot matrix printer to need to be
cleaned regularly: the inked ribbon and the forms tractor.
The downside of a dot matrix printer, after its noise and slow speed, is the ribbon. The
ribbon is messy to install and replace and messy to operate. In addition, ribbons are not
evenly coated with ink and can dro pbits of dried ink down inside the printer’s case. The
formstractoristhemechanismthatpullstractorfeedpaper,thekindshownintheprinter
in Figure 22-11, through the printer by the holes along the sides of the paper. As the paper
is pulled through, the bits of paper from the holes fall down inside the printer.
The paper bits and the dried ink bits should be cleaned out of the printer regularly
with a vacuum or compressed air. To get down into the printer and perform any mainte-
nance prescribed by the manufacturer on the print head, you need to remove the ribbon.
Typically, a ribbon release lever unlocks the ribbon cartridge so it can be lifted straight up
and out. However, since dot matrix printers and their setup vary greatly by manufac-
turer, check the documentation before cleaning the printer, especially the print head.
Chapter 22: PC Care and Maintenance^585
Figure 22-11. A dot matrix printer. Photo courtesy of OkiData Americas, Inc.