How similar is a Dot Matrix Printer to a Typewriter?

A dot matrix printer or impact matrix printer is a type of computer printer, which operates with a print head that runs back and forth on the page, striking an ink-soaked cloth ribbon against the paper. The print head has a set of tiny steel pins - usually between 9 and 24 and when it is running the printer generally prints one line of text at a time. When the pins strike on the fabric or carbon ribbon they create dots on the paper. Characters are composed of patterns of these dots by moving the print head laterally across the page and striking at a very close distance from the previous strike. The pins are activated by solenoids (small wire coils). These solenoids are energized at a particular time, depending on what character should be printed. Timing of the signals sent to the solenoids is programmed into the printer for each character. Multiple passes of the print head may be used to increase the effective number of pins and improve print quality.
The strikes on ink-soaked cloth make these machines resemble a typewriter. However, unlike a typewriter, letters are drawn out of a dot matrix, and this way, varied fonts and arbitrary graphics can be produced. Facing the ribbon and the paper is a small guide plate pierced with holes to serve as guides for the pins.

Dot matrix printers can be very durable, but several problems can make it wear out. Ink often enters the guide plate of the print head, causing grit to adhere to it. This grit slowly causes the channels in the guide plate to wear from circles into ovals or other shapeless slots, providing less and less accurate guidance to the printing wires. Eventually the printing becomes too unclear to read. Other problematic issues about these types of printers are their stepper modes of use, drivers and interconnect cables.

It is important to know that nearly all printers, including inkjet and laser printer produce dot matrices. Thus, the name dot matrix printer is not used correctly to describe only this type of printer. Still, in everyday language, other types of printers are almost never called dot matrix printer in order to avoid confusion with dot matrix impact printers.