PURPOSE: To make it possible to accurately detect the life of an ink ribbon, by providing a means for reading a bar-code immediately after said bar-code was printed to compare the same with a printing code and informing the replacement of the ink ribbon when both codes are different.

CONSTITUTION: A dot printing 3 for printing a bar-code and a bar-code reader 5 are integrally attached to the carrier freely movable along a shaft 1. A printing data storing area for storing printing data printed by the dot printer 3, a read data storing area for storing printing data read by the bar-code reader 5, a comparing means for comparing data of both storing areas and an alarm means for informing the replacement of an ink ribbon when both data do not coincide with each other are provided.