Method and apparatus for halting a printing device at a predetermined instant

1. Field of the Invention A method and apparatus for halting a printer at a predetermined time to allow service personnel to open the printer and inspect the printing operation for evidence of faulty components and other problems. The printer includes a printing mechanism and a selector that is used for selecting a predetermined instant at which to halt the printer. A controller is coupled to the selector and to the printing mechanism. The controller operates to halt the printing operation at the selected predetermined instant. The instant can be measured in time, as an event that occurs in the printing process, or as a time relative to such an event. The instant can be selected from a list or selected at random by the operator. A sensing device within the printer can detect the determination of the occurrence of the printer operation event. The printing operation can be initiated in a conventional manner or the printing operation can be commenced automatically upon selection of the predetermined event.