Honeywell Page Printing System (PPS)

Many people will be familiar with the green-lined computer stationery used at Hemel Hempstead. In recent months, however, much of this has been replaced by white A4 printed sheets — the result of two new Honeywell Page Printing Systems (PPS).

The first PPS was installed at the end of November 1978, and certain print-outs have been operational on the machine since January. The second printer arrived at the beginning of May and was in use the very next day.

The new machines compare very favourably with the present Univac 0770 printers, which are still being used during the transition period.

These machines use a mechanical system to print data involving the impact of "hammers" onto an ink rib­bon, similar to that of a type­writer. When a print-out is complete it has to be decollated and chopped down into in­dividual sheets, requiring more machinery and time.

The PPS is a non-impact printer using special electro­static paper. The paper is drawn off a large roll, 3,800 feet long, passed round a cylinder and electrically charged with a preprinted form.

An advantage here is that printed stationery is no longer required. The relevant details can be contained on a made-to-order cylinder which can easily be inserted into the machine. The paper then receives the variable print data and passes through a toner station where the special ink is drawn to the charged charac­ters, thus making the end pro­duct legible. 

Unlike the Univac machi­nes, the paper is automatically guillotined into individual sheets, so excluding the decol­lating and chopping stage.

Linked to the printer is a console which enables the operator to control the machine. Any error messages show up on a screen and the console will even tell the oper­ator when to load more ink or paper.

The Univac 0770 machines can print to a maximum of 2,000 lines per minute; the PPS will work at a constant speed of 8,000 lines and in the future could be increased to 18,000 lines per minute.

Although the new printers have many advantages, the Univac 0770 machines will still be used to print cheques and other special types of stationery.

Computer operator David Chart says, "The PPS is quite easy to operate once you've had the necessary training. It's fast and the print-outs are much easier to handle. Basi­cally, you load the magnetic tape in one end, key the in­struction to print, and out come the separate printed sheets the other. Clip the pages of each individual program together and there it is ready to send out.” 

Taken from BP Oil News - June 1979