Posts Tagged ‘copier’

The History of Printing

Thursday, December 3rd, 2009

Free Pictures | acobox.comThe next time you are frustrated with the production of your printer, consider how far this technology has come. While you may be infuriated, having to wait several seconds for a slow printer, or you are tired of unclogging yet another paper jam, it has not always been so speedy and convenient to print images. From ancient times when printing began, until now, developments have occurred that allow printing to occur in an economical and efficient manner. The next time you are feeling miserable because your print job is taking forever, take a look back at the history of printing and consider yourself lucky.

Ancient Times

Printing more or less originated around the year 200 in China. Block printing was a primitive form of putting an image onto fabric. Prior to that, there were images pressed onto clay tablets, but few of those techniques were popular enough for wide use. Examples of the earliest wood block printing are from the Han Dynasty and feature silk fabric printed with flowers in three different colors. Block printing grew in popularity and the process spread throughout Islamic and European countries.

Advances in printing made between the 11th and 16thcenturies include the creation of movable type and the invention of the printing press. Movable type describes the use of movablepieces of metal to create images or letters on a surface. Originally, it was used in China with porcelain pieces, but was never widely popular due to the extensive number of Chinese characters. Midway through the 15thcentury, Johannes Gutenberg developed movable type technology in Europe. This development marked the beginning of European printing, which was far more durable and faster than woodblock.

The printing press is arguably the most important advancement in image duplication and printing. The printing press is a mechanical device that applies pressure to an inked surface. This pressure causes the image to transfer to the un-inked surface. During the Renaissance period, the use of the printing press spread throughout Europe and became the most used form of movable type printing.

The 1700’s

During the 18thcentury, lithography was developed. Invented by a Bavarian author named Aloys Senefelder, it enables people to print on a smooth surface. Chemicals are used to produce or change an image, and it is a practice still commonly used today.

Moving Forward

In the 19th century, printing processes continued to improve and develop. Mimeograph allowed for low cost, relatively speedy printing. The process forces ink through a stencil onto paper. Mimeograph was used well into the 20th century and was a common part of office and school workplaces. Photocopying has since replaced mimeograph, offering a less expensive and time consuming means for achieving a similar goal.

While there were ancient methods of coloring prints, including manually adding color to the print following the printing process, chromolithography enabled color to be added during the process. There is dispute over the creator of chromolithography. The process is typically time consuming and cumbersome, but at its inception, was considered a major development in the print industry.

One of the last developments in printing during the 19th century was hot metal typesetting. This process injects molten metal into a mold to create a shape. After it has formed and cooled, it is used to press ink onto a blank surface, creating a print. Hot metal typesetting was frequently used in the production of newspapers, a factor that kept the method in use for longer than it may otherwise have been.

Modern Printing

The beginning of the 20thcentury brought the development of screen-printing. This process uses woven mesh to support a stencil. A squeegee or roller moves across the surface, pressing the ink through the open areas of the mesh, creating a print on the blank surface. Archaic methods of screen-printing were seen in Japan where banana leaves were used in a similar way to the mesh. Modern screen-printing was created by Samuel Simon in 1907 in Europe.

It is during the middle of the 20th century we begin to see the beginnings of modern printing advances. The first photocopier appeared in 1960, introduced to the market by Xerox. This advance was the beginning of the end for many of the previous methods of printing. The thermal printer and laser printer were not far behind, allowing people to print from a networked system. On the heels of these initial printers, companies besides Xerox jumped in the game, realizing a printing revolution was in the works.

At that point, it became a matter of improving the quality of prints that came from the printer, and making them more efficient, more affordable, and more practical. Further printing developments included dot matrix, inkjet, and more recently, 3-D printers. Impressive transitions over the years have led to office and home printing efficiency.

The next time frustration gets the better of you, consider the early alternatives. Unjamming the printer is undoubtedly quicker than block printing your 150-page report!

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Leasing a Copier: A Look at Your Options.

Monday, May 18th, 2009

Office copiers can be expensive-and not every company has the cash to purchase a new copier.  If your business needs a copier but you’re not sure you can afford to buy, leasing may be a better option.  However, leasing isn’t always the best deal in the long run-and not every leasing agreement is beneficial to the lessee. Here are a few things to consider before you decide to lease a copier.

Compare pricing on leasing vs. buying. Many companies decide to lease copiers and other expensive office equipment because it makes cash available that would otherwise have to be used for the purchase price.  But leasing isn’t necessarily less expensive than buying. When considering, compare the cost of the purchase price of the copier you’re leasing, its useful life, and its value at the end of that life to the purchase price and value of the equipment at the end of the lease agreement of the leased copier.

Consider the package. Some companies will give you a lease agreement that includes an extended warranty, service contract, and sometimes even toner, paper and other consumables for a single monthly rate. While this might seem like a good deal, it often works out to more than you need to pay-and it makes determining your exact monthly costs for copier consumables and services difficult to do.

Watch out for extra charges. Some companies will charge extra for heavy usage of office equipment. This can be problematic when you’re leasing a copier, as these often undergo very heavy regular use in most offices.  Be sure to read the fine print to make sure you’re not going to get charged extra for using the copier as much as you need to.

Is a buy-out lease right for you? Buy-out leases allow the lessee to own the equipment at the end of the lease period. This may or may not be a good thing for your company. At the end of the lease period, you may be stuck with an older copier that has little resale value-heavy usage shortens the life of copiers, and companies often overestimate how long they’ll use the copier. Your dealer may allow you to trade it in for a new copier, but some dealers will mark up the price of new equipment to compensate for the trade-in discount they’ll give you.

Choose the right dealer. When considering a lease, you’ll be entering into a relatively long-term relationship with a dealer. This makes it essential to choose one that’s known for exceptional service.  Be sure you choose a dealer with a reputation for fast service, as it can be catastrophic for some businesses to have their copier machines out of commission. Discuss what you need with a dealer, and choose one that can customize a lease agreement to fit your needs and your budget.

Get the shortest-term lease you can afford. Short-term leases tend to cost more than long-term leases, and businesses looking to save money will often choose the long-term lease. When you lease a copier, you’re stuck with that copier until your lease expires-you can’t simply sell your copier and buy a new one, although some leasing companies may allow you to “trade up” for an added cost. Still, technology is advancing every day-and you’ll want flexibility when it comes to major equipment like copiers.  To avoid being stuck with an obsolete piece of equipment, get the shortest-term lease your budget allows.

Leasing isn’t the best deal for everyone. But if you’re concerned about having the cash or credit to buy, it’s a good option-especially for start-ups or struggling companies. If you’re considering leasing, be sure to read the fine print on any agreement to ensure you’re not getting charged extra for usage.  Choose a company that won’t leave you hanging when it comes to repair-check references if needed to get unbiased reviews of the company’s service. In addition, talk to your dealer representative to create a lease agreement that works for your company-don’t assume you have to take the package the company offers to you, as these can be changed according to your needs. With the right terms, leasing a copier may be a perfect deal for you.

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Seven Copier Features You Can't Live Without

Thursday, May 7th, 2009

When you’re considering buying a new copier, the wide range of features available can be overwhelming-but worth sorting through, as some copier features can help you save considerable time and money.  Here’s an overview of some of the most useful features out there for office copiers.

An automatic feeder. With an automatic document feeder, you can copy multi-page, multi-sided documents without having to copy each page individually.  With an automatic document feeder, all you need to do is feed a stack of documents into the feeder and start the copying process. The automatic document feeder will automatically copy and sort each page. This can be a huge time-saver if you pan to copy lots of double-sided originals and multi-page documents.

Unlimited sorting. Standard copiers have numerous separate sorter bins that allow you to sort your copies automatically.  But if you need a larger number of sorted pages than the number of bins allows, you’ll have to perform more than one copy job-which can take a considerable amount of time for larger jobs.  To get around this, look for a copy machine that sorts copied pages without need for sorter bins. Instead, these copy machines set each sorted section at a right angle or offset from the next, allowing users to tell easily where each section starts and ends. This way, you’ll be able to sort in endless combinations without being stuck making only as many sections as available bins.

Finishing features. Features such as automatic staplers, three-hole punchers, saddle-stitch binders, folders, and other finishing steps can save you a great deal of time after you copy. These are great options for anyone printing multi-page reports or worksheet packets, bound proposals, marketing materials and brochures, and other more complex business communications. Some machines can be bought with or without the option of included finishing features such as these, which will cost more-but can be well worth the cost in some offices.

Different types of paper supply trays. If you’re planning on using numerous types of paper in your copy jobs, you may need paper trays customized to different paper stocks.  In a regular copy machine, you’ll usually find at least one-sometimes more-fixed size paper trays as well as an adjustable-sized tray you can theoretically use for different paper stocks. The problem is that if the paper loading apparatus isn’t designed specifically for heavier paper stocks, it can jam frequently. Look for a copier with a bypass tray designed for heavier paper.  If you’re planning to copy on numerous paper stocks including letterheads, legal size papers, transparencies and so on without having to reload the machine each time, look for a copy machine with several different paper sources that can handle these types of papers.

Wireless connections. The latest development in office technology is wireless functionality-allowing you to copy a document simply by sending a file to the copier from your computer. This can be highly useful and can eliminate the necessity of waiting in line to use the copier.

Energy-saving capabilities. Most copy machines come with automatic turn-off features that power the machine down at specified times or after prolonged periods of idleness. While traditional copy machines don’t save significant amounts of energy during “sleep” phase, energy-saving copiers will typically offer a “sleep” mode that conserves energy while the machine is not in use.  These can save you money on your energy bill as well as reducing your office’s ecological footprint.

Printing, scanning and faxing. Some copy machines double as printers, scanners, faxes, and even digital imaging machines. Consolidating your technology by buying a multi-function machine can save you office space for separate machines, and it can also save you money-using your copier as a printer can save approximately 20% of per-page costs compared to printing separately with a laser printer which uses toner cartridges that are more expensive to print with.

Not every copier has the same features.  While shopping for copiers can be a little overwhelming at first, it’s worth sorting through the available features to find a copy machine that’s perfect for your office.  If you take the time to do some research, you’re likely to find a copier that saves your employees time and your office money in the long run.

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How to Save Energy When Printing and Copying

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

Printers and copiers use a lot of energy-and standby mode can be misleading. If you want to save energy while printing and copying, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Saving Energy While Printing:

Laser printers use more energy. Laser printers have a lot of advantages-including lightning speed and superior print quality. But they are definitely not energy-saving, even during standby mode. If you’re concerned about the energy use of your printer, an inkjet printer is a better option.

If you do need a laser printer, you can save energy by buying a slower one. The fastest laser printers tend to draw more energy than the slower ones, even when not in use.

Keep your paper use in mind. When considering saving energy, you shouldn’t just be thinking about the energy you use yourself. In addition, consider how much energy it takes to make new paper-approximately 15 watt-hours per sheet. The less paper you use, the less energy you’re using, essentially. Print on both sides of paper sheets whenever you can, and use recycled paper-it takes considerably less energy and natural resources to recycle paper than it does to make it from scratch.

Bear in mind that while inkjet printers generally don’t have a problem printing on used paper, allowing you to print drafts on the back sides of old printouts, laser printers jam more often if you try to print on used paper.

Standby isn’t energy-saving. Most printer energy is used when the machine isn’t actually in use-during standby mode. If you’re not using your printer, turn it off-it won’t use more energy to power up than it does while in standby.  If you want to save energy while your printer isn’t being used, look for a printer that offers a low-energy “sleep” mode as the default instead.

Saving Energy While Copying:

Copiers are energy hogs. The low-volume copiers will always use less energy than the faster models, but all copiers use a lot of energy-approximately 40 to 70 while in standby, and as much as 1,600 watts during the copy process, even for a low-volume printer. The amount of watts used won’t necessarily be advertised on the equipment itself; sometimes the amount of energy used during copying appears as the amount used “during peak power.”

Look for energy-saving features. Look for a copier that comes with an “energy saver” or “sleep” mode that activates when the machine isn’t in use. In addition, look for a machine that has a duplexing feature-it can copy on both sides of a sheet of paper.  An energy-saving copy machine will boot up quickly with a short “time to first copy” period after it’s been in sleep mode.

Turn it off when not in use. When you don’t need your copier to be ready to work any minute, don’t leave it on. Turning it off will always use less energy than standby or sleep mode, even on an energy-saving machine, and it doesn’t make the printer wear out faster.

Be sure the correct settings are in place. Many copier manufacturers send a technician to install new copiers. If so, be sure your technician activates energy-saving features such as sleep mode, duplexing, and auto-off as default settings. They won’t always do this if not requested, and you may not realize these settings are not in place while using the machine.

Make sure everyone in the office is aware of energy-saving practices. If your copier is located in an office, it’s important to be sure all employees are cooperating in printing on both sides of the paper and making sure that the printer is turned off at the end of the day. Be sure your employees know how to use the duplexing feature and don’t use the copy machine when an electronic document can be substituted.

Copiers and printers can both use a great deal of energy. When buying both of these machines, look for slower output and energy-saving features such as duplexing, auto-off and sleep mode. Turn the machine off at night if you don’t have an auto-off feature, and print on both sides of each page as often as you can. If you do, you’ll be able to reduce the amount of energy used at home or at the office.

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Seven Questions to Ask When Buying a Copier

Wednesday, March 11th, 2009

Not all copiers are created equally. There are plenty of questions to ask when you’re considering buying one, from how the consumables will affect your budget to the type of capabilities and speed you need. Here are a few questions every business owner needs to ask before buying a new copier.

What are you planning to use it for?

Your use is a more complicated question than you’d think at first. Think about what you’re planning to copy; if you see the need to make copies of book or journal pages, you’ll need a lid that lifts. If you’re planning to make colour copies, you’ll need a colour copier—not all print in colour. If you need not just to print but to staple, collate and bind pages in large quantities, you’ll need a machine that can handle those tasks.

Is a copier the only machine you’ll need?

Or do you also need a printer and a fax machine? If you do, you may be able to save significant money by buying an all-in-one machine with printing and fax capabilities. This can be a great way to upgrade your printer and fax machine if you already have one as well.

How much space do I have?

Unless you have plenty of space, take measurements before heading to the store. You can save space by buying an all-in-one machine that offers print and fax capabilities—this way you won’t need three different machines taking up space in your office. You can also buy a desktop copier if your space is very limited, but be warned—these machines typically aren’t designed for large print runs. Standalone copiers have a built-in cart, usually with room for several different types of paper. If you don’t have one, bear in mind you’ll need additional storage space for paper and supplies.

Are you copying multi-page or single-page documents?

If you’re copying multi-page documents such as reports, contracts and articles, you’ll need an automatic document feeder that allows you to copy multiple pages without having to separately load each page, and that can adjust for portrait or landscape copying if needed. If you generally only print single-page documents, you won’t need more than a flat copy area where you place a single page to be copied.

How much am I copying?

If you’re only copying a small amount of pages every so often, you won’t need to worry as much about speed or volume. But if you’re planning to copy hundreds of pages per week or copy jobs with dozens of pages, you’ll need a copier that can handle the job. Things to consider include speed—you won’t want to wait all day for your job to finish—and the amount of paper storage capacity the machine has. If it can only hold a few hundred pages at a time and you know you’ll be printing more than that in a single job, you won’t want to have to continually reload the machine. Check your current volume in-office or with your printer to see what your company averages in terms of copy volume, and figure you’ll need a copy machine that can handle at least 25% more than what you currently need—this will give your business room to grow.

How expensive are supplies?

Copiers need toner and drums replaced on a fairly regular basis, and these can be quite expensive. When considering your budget for a copier, factor in the price of consumables. A cheap copier with expensive toner cartridges is an expensive copier in disguise.

What about paper?

Do you need to print on several different types of paper simultaneously? What about volume? Not every copier has a paper tray that can accommodate thousands of pages of paper—or separate trays for different types of paper. You’ll need to choose a copier that you can use efficiently without reloading, especially during large copy jobs.

There are hundreds of printer models available—and if you choose the wrong one, you may not have the capability to perform the copying tasks your business relies on. Take your time and know how much print volume you need, the type of print jobs you’ll be doing and your budget—including your budget for consumables. With all this information in hand, you should be able to make an informed decision.

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