The Average Photocopier For Dummies

Okay, so it's your first day on the job. New office. New coworkers. New position. You're pretty excited to get to work, but you may not be as technically adept as your fellow workers. You need to make a copy of a document. You never did like copiers or printers cause you could never work them, but there is hope for you yet. They say that knowing your enemy is half the battle, but the copier doesn't have to be your enemy. Just by learning what makes them tick, and what goes on when you copy something, working the copier won't be nearly as difficult.

So what exactly is going on when you decide to hit "start" on the copy machine? Well, oddly enough, it has a lot to do with static electricity. It may seem nearly impossible for that to be the case but think about this. When you photocopy something, you are typically using toner. Well toner isn't ink. It is actually an extremely fine black powder that can be charged with static electricity. There is a drum inside of every copier that allows the toner to gain charge and stick to the drum. Now, obviously, not every picture is going to be completely black, so there has to be a way to keeps of the paper white. This is where the drums ability to use selective charge really comes in handy. The drum selectively charge certain sections of itself in order to attract toner on the specific parts that have charge. It's selective charge is all thanks to the power of light! See how the name "PHOTOcopier" works now? When the paper finally comes through, it is statically charged so the toner becomes attracted to the paper. The toner is then fused to the paper through the use of heat, since the toner particles themselves are very sensitive to heat.

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Another thing to remember; Toner is NOT ink! It can be referred to as dry ink, but again, it's not ink at all. The toner itself is actually stuck to slightly larger beads that have a positive charge inside the toner cartridge. Once the toner beads are rolled over by the drum, the particles of the toner are more attracted to the positively charged areas on the drum. This cause them to stick to the drum (again with the static electricity). Once the statically charged paper rolls on through, the particles jump to the paper, but since the toner particles still contain charge, they could still fly off the paper. In order to make sure the particles stay, the toner particles are made with plastic in them that become melted to the paper once the toner is heat. Static problem solved.

Simply by knowing whats going on inside that photocopier can greatly help when trying to figure out what is wrong with it. Not every copier is going to have problems so don't let that fool you. Maybe you aren't really looking for a full time purchase. Maybe you are just looking to rent to get the feel of a new photocopier. If you are business just starting up, you need as much info on all of the office equipment you are going to get. Also remember that renting can help make things a lot easier for you. Instead of your company having to spend money on repairs, let the rental company take care of that "toner cartridge probelm", or nasty "paper jam".

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Copier Tips

Whether you've purchased a copier or have a copier rental in your office, chances are you have one. And chances are you've run into a problem with your copier, from a paper jam to wasting money to something more extensive. In the event you do have a problem there are a few things to keep in mind before calling in a technician. Here are some tips on fixing those problems, preventing those problems, and getting the most from your copier.

1. Keep moisture out of your paper. Moisture can cause your paper to jam, so you'll always want to reseal a package when you don't use the entire thing. If you're unable to reseal, keep the paper in a ziplock bag.

2. Paper left in your copier over the weekend and holidays will gather moisture. Replace it on Monday and put old stuff in your printer.

3. If you do get a paper jam, make sure you fix it completely. If you don't fix it properly and completely, chances are you're going to have another paper jam on your hands very soon.

4. Leave your copier on 24/7. In today's "green" world, most technology has a power-saving mode and when left alone for a certain period of time, the machine will power down into that mode. Warming the machine up is quicker when brought out of the energy-saving mode and the continuous warmth may be enough to save your paper from excess moisture.

5. Use high-quality paper. The cheaper the paper, the more likely it is to jam and the worse the finished product will look.

6. When you load paper, don't bend or tear the edges. If you do this, you're setting yourself up for a paper jam.

7. Make sure you are using the right toner for the model of copier you have. Using the wrong kind can cause mechanical problems and make your warranty obsolete.

8. Order multiple toner cartridges at one time. You'll save money on shipping, as well as always have extra around when you run out.

9. Never use anything but your hands to remove a paper jam. If you scratch the wrong parts, it will show up on your copied documents.

10. When you remove jammed paper, make sure you recover all pieces, even tiny fragments.

11. Try to keep at least one employee knowledgeable and up-to-date on your copier. Have him or her trained in operation and maintenance of the copier and let removing jams, changing paper and toner be their job.

12. Only make one copy at a time until you've found the perfect settings. So much paper and toner is wasted because someone assumes they've put in the right settings and doesn't test it by making just one copy of a document, instead of 100.

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A Few Quick Toner Tips

Here are a few quick tips about toner that can help you save money and maximize the use of your laser printers, fax machines, and copiers

• Above all, it is important to realize the difference between ink and toner. Toner is used in all laser printer and copiers and most fax machines and is actually a carbon-based powder. If you're spending too much money on ink, buying equipment that uses toner is a great way to go. Toner machines are slightly more expensive, but in the long-run, you'll save on the cost of printing and that can save you hundreds of dollars and even thousands if you are running a small or medium business.
• When your machine tells you your toner is empty, here's a hint: it's not. Because your toner is a powder, you can take the cartridge and give it a gentle shake from side to side, causing the toner to redistribute evenly. (Sometimes it gets stuck on the sides.) Get anywhere from 10 to 15% more usage from each cartridge by remembering this tip!
• Shop around for toner! Less expensive, generic brands are everywhere. Don't pay extra money for a fancy box or brand name. Do your research, shop around online and compare prices.