How to Buy the Right Copier

These days’ saving a buck is even more important than ever. Although purchasing a new copier might not be the place to skimp. Doing a little research can save you money and help you choose a copier that will last you much longer. This article will help buyers to choose the right copier for the right application.

Definitions
Business class copiers-Not sold in office club stores. Sold by knowledgeable and reputable dealers. Designed for higher volumes and dependability.

Office club copiers & personal copiers -Sold in office club stores i.e. Office Depot, Office Max and Costco… For personal and low volume customers.

●Cost of Equipment
The cost of a copier can be quite expensive. Just shopping for price and buying one on cost alone can be misleading and can end up being more expensive in the long run. This is especially true if you make thousands of copies per month. You could be paying three times the amount of the price of the copier in toner and supply costs. It doesn’t matter If you are buying one for a business or for personal use. The first thing you should do is research the cost per copy.

●Volume and Cost per Copy
When purchasing a copier you must first research your monthly copy volume. This is the first step in choosing which copier is right for you. One easy way to determine this is to think of how many reams of paper you use per month. Each ream is 500 sheets. Just multiply that by the amount of reams that you use and you have a fairly accurate assessment of your “copies per month.” The reason you must know this is because it helps you determine you’re “cost per copy.” This is how much it will cost you every time you press the copy button. Now, you take the price of the toner and divide that into the estimated yield and you have your cost per copy. Example: The toner cost is $100.00 and the yield is 10,000 copies. Your cost per copy is .01 cents per copy. Office club type copier supplies are almost always more expensive than a business class type copier.

●Service and Repair, Service contracts
Most copier service companies, (not affiliated with office clubs) will not provide you an onsite service contract on an office club copier. This is because they don’t sell them. Office club stores will normally offer extended warranties but coverage may not be complete. For example they might not cover the toner or they won’t cover on-site service. I have had customers call me and tell me that they had to ship the machine off to have it repaired and that they didn’t even get the same machine back afterward. They received a replacement machine.
Many times a business class copier service contract that covers parts, service, and toner and supplies (everything except paper) is less expensive then the toner costs on a personal copier.

●Automatic Document Feeder and Feed Systems
Document Feeders
An automatic document feeder is the feeder that automatically feeds your original documents one at a time so you don’t have to stand there and lift the lid each time you have a stack of originals to be copied. Not all document feeders are created equally. There are many different mechanisms that feed, separate and eject the originals on all of the makes and models of copiers. Business type copiers have much better mechanisms than personal copiers. When you are in business and you make lots of copies and sets of copies it is frustrating when you can not count on this feature to work dependably.
The most common problems are multi-feeding and jamming. Multi-feeding is when the feeder pulls in more than one at a time. Most of the time the copier will not let you know this happened. It will not show a jam and you may not realize it did this until you are in the middle of your very important meeting and you have some missing pages. Paper jamming is another problem where it doesn’t pull the paper through correctly and jams. This is also very frustrating.
Feed Systems
Feed systems are the rollers and mechanisms that pull in your copy paper to make copies. Paper jams are the most frustrating thing that a person can have with a copier. Office club type copiers have inferior systems that feed the paper in and as you make larger copier runs the dependability is much less than a business type copier. I am speaking of my experience of over twenty years in the industry with copiers on both document feeders and feed systems but there are exceptions and some personal copiers work just fine.

●Quality and Longevity
Quality of the copies being made has really improved over the years especially since the digital evolution. There really is not much difference in copy quality. I have seen personal copiers that have just as good resolution and copy quality as a very expensive business copier. But, when it comes to the quality of manufacturing, sturdiness and just plain quality of the equipment you can see a big difference.
Business type copiers are built to last. It really depends on your copy volume as to how long each machine will last. Business copiers are built to last the monthly duty cycles that the manufacturer has designated. Though sometimes I feel that they over estimate these amounts. There are applications where a personal copier will need to be replaced in only one year next to a business type copier that will last seven to ten years, really!

Conclusion
Buying a copier can be expensive, but buying the wrong copier can be a waste of money. By doing your research ahead of time you can save money and use your copier for many years with few problems. Finding a dependable company to service your machine is just as important as buying the right machine.

Author
Bill Tucker is the president of Advanced Office Machines who is an independent copier dealer located in Fresno, California. AOM sells Ricoh and Lanier color and black and white copiers in most of Fresno County. If you are located in this area and are in the process of purchasing a new or refurbished copier or multi-function machine give him a call at 559-222-2255 or e-mail Bill@tonerovernight.com.
You can also visit his on-line store for copier, printer and fax supplies at http://www.tonerovernight.com/

Service Guides One of THE Most Important Tools

This article is about the importance of using service guides while repairing any type of electrical mechanical device.

The main type of work I do is repairing Hewlett Packard laser printers. It really doesn’t matter which type of machine that you repair, it is always a good idea to have a service manual handy. I work on the same equipment almost daily but I will always need to reference a service manual at any point in time.

I remember being in a customer’s office and reading the service guide for an adjustment I was performing. I wasn’t aware of it but the customer had called into the office to complain that I didn’t know what I was doing, just because I was reading the service manual. I still don’t know what was up with that customer but to me I would be more worried if the technician didn’t have a service manual than if he just did everything by the seat of his pants. Now, I just go outside to look up what I need because of that one incident. Why some people feel that you don’t know what you are doing if you use a service manual is beyond me.

Manuals are very useful and here are some practical uses. Tear down and disassembly, finding part numbers, adjustment procedures, precise measurements, supply yield information, error codes/self diagnostics and more.

If you find yourself in a situation where you don’t have a service manual for a particular machine I feel your pain. The cost is minimal especially compared to the extra time spent doing the job incorrectly and then having to redo it again. Invest in some guides and skim through them. I guarantee you that you will find something of value and it will help with what ever you work on. I have saved myself hours of work just from the disassembly procedures.

For this article I will be posting many Hewlett Packard Laser Printer Service and Parts Guides on my website all free for download in PDF form. Follow the link at the end of this article. I hope this helps, Good Luck!


Click here for Hewlett Packard Service Guides –TonerOvernight.com

The Evolution of Thermal to Plain Paper Fax Machines

Fax machines have gone through some changes but most would agree that the biggest change has been the change from thermal paper to plain paper.

About fifteen years ago, businesses were leasing thermal fax machines that were priced at $1,500.00 to $2,500.00. Now you can buy a plain paper fax machine for under $150.00. Times sure have changed.

Thermal fax machines were the ones with the long roll of paper and each fax would be cut to the size that is transmitted. You could make some cool banners with those things because you could set them to not cut and it would continue to spit out the paper! They were pretty much bullet proof. The major problem was the paper. It would curl and you had a hard time working with it. If it was exposed to the sun or heat it would turn a dark black and all of the information was lost. They were very economical compared to laser or ink jet fax machines. The only supply that you were required to purchase was rolls of paper.

At the time of transformation most people didn’t rush out and buy plain paper faxes. They waited until either there fax machines went on the blink or the prices came down quite a bit. Up until five years ago you could still find a few still chugging away but now I believe they have completely vanished.
Plain paper faxes now have saturated the market and the prices have dropped so low that anyone can afford one. With rebates you may even get one for free. The only problem may be that you may not be able to afford the supplies that go into them. Laser, inkjet, and thermal transfer rolls are the options that you have. The cost per page varies but believe me when I say that the money is not in selling machines, it is in selling supplies. You can shop smart though and look at the cost per page. This is the price of the toner or supply divided by the supply yield. Spending a little more on the machine for a lower CPP can save you a bundle of money.

Some of the younger people that read this probably can’t even imagine ever using thermal roll fax machines but remember, times change and they change fast.
What does the future hold for the fax machine of the future? Technology doesn’t stand still, so let’s wait and see!

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for a large selection of fax machine “inkjet and laser toner cartridges” –TonerOvernight.com

HP Laser Printers versus HP Inkjet Printers

Using the right printer for the right job is the key to effective print management.

These two different types of printers achieve the same thing. They both print, but they go about it in a very different manner. There are major differences in the engines that drive them and the work they are required to do.

Laser printers are designed to be used in a heavy work load environment. The cost per print is much less expensive compared to Inkjet models. Laser printers use a dry mono-component toner cartridge and a laser that shoots the image onto a drum inside the toner cartridge.

Inkjet printers are designed for a different work load. They are designed more for a work station such as an individual’s desk or for low volume type work. The toner or ink is quite expensive. Most are slow, so using them in a high volume application would drive a person crazy waiting for a hundred page report. Let me say something about the cost of Inkjet cartridges. I read an article that said that Inkjet cartridges are more expensive per weight than imported Russian Caviar. Inkjets use a liquid ink that is sprayed onto the paper. They all have a scanner rail that goes back and forth, carrying the Ink cartridges distributing the ink.

I read a post that several people commented on. They said that Hewlett Packard has really gone down hill lately with the quality of their printers. They were commenting on the HP LaserJet 4, a very popular laser printer of the past. It is about ten to years old, but it is a very dependable printer. I still use one in my office!

They were comparing it to several new HP Inkjet Printers. These are completely different machines for completely different applications. If you want to compare this machine to another HP product use the HP laser jet 4250. You really can’t compare these either. The memory, speed and options are made for the latest printing applications. Remember that the HP LJ- 4 was built around 386 computers. By the way, my HP LJ-4 works great with XP.

The price of Inkjet printers is driven by consumers that want something cheap. You get what you pay for. It is the market that creates cheap Inkjet printers. They do work well, but if they break they are not designed to repair. They are known as disposable printers. Not all Inkjet printers are disposable printers. The Inkjet is really progressing and will continue to fill more of the market place. Speed has been an issue but now they have designed some that keep up with the speed of laser printers. HP color Inkjets also make terrific color prints. Even a person with a limited budget can make great presentations, photos and flyers.

When you purchase a printer, you should always consider the type of application that it will be used for. Don’t buy an Inkjet when you’re going to be printing hundreds of reports. Don’t buy a laser printer if you print two or three jobs a day. If you look at cost per print and monthly volume you can’t go wrong. Hewlett Packard printers are some of the best you can buy, but you need to use them in the proper application.



Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Fax Machines, Top Four Problems and How to Fix Them

If you have a problem with your fax machine, chances are it’s one that I mention in this article. Find the solution, read on…

There are many makes and models of fax machines, but they all have certain problems that come up that are easy to fix. I have listed four common problems and will explain the problem and the solution for each. I charge for this so this is a valuable article for anyone who has a fax machine. Keep it filed so you can retrieve it for another time or use it now to repair an existing problem.

Multi-feeding through the automatic document feeder
This is when you put a stack of papers into the automatic document feeder (ADF) and it pulls more than one in at a time. This is called multi-feeding. Most ADF’s have an item that separates the paper called a separation pad. This wears out after some use and needs to be replaced. Open the ADF cover and shine a flashlight up into this area. If it is worn out replace it. You can call the manufacturer and speak with the parts department for a replacement ADF separation pad. Replace it and you will have your ADF working good again. While you are repairing this you should also clean or replace the ADF feed roller. See “Not pulling in originals.” A little modification I have done many times is flipping the pad over. Some models you can do this and actually get double the life on the pad.


Not pulling in originals
This is when your originals don’t pull in the papers when you insert them into the ADF. You can use WD-40 to clean this roller. Take a strong cotton cloth that will not tear and saturate it with WD-40. Clean the roller well all the way around the surface and then take the dry part and make sure you get all the cleaner off of the roller. You will probably notice that the rag is very dirty and black from the ink, dirt and toner being removed from the roller. The roller should pick up the paper much better now. If not you will need to replace the roller with a new one. Use the steps above and order an ADF feed roller or a feed roller kit. A feed roller kit normally consists of a pre-feed roller, feed roller and a separation pad. Replacing this kit will make it feed like new.

Lines sending faxes or using the copy feature
This is when the faxes that you send or transmit have lines or streaks on them. This is often caused by something on the slit glass of the fax machine scanner. To test it, make a copy on your fax machine. Is there a line? If yes, print a journal. If there is only a line when you copy and no line when you print a journal, the problem is the slit glass. You will need to clean the slit glass. Lift up the ADF cover and shine a flashlight inside. Look for a small “one inch” by “eleven inch” glass. Inspect it for whiteout, ink or foreign matter stuck to it. Remove the stain by first scrapping it with your finger nail and remove as much as you can. Then use an alcohol swab to remove the rest.

Keeps ringing but never answers or receives faxes
If your fax machine keeps ringing without answering it probably has the auto answer function turned off. Look in your owners manual on how to turn on auto receive. If you don’t have an operator’s manual it is often located directly on the operation panel. Set it for “on” and test it.

My service business receives many calls for each of these problems. We make an attempt to try and explain to the customer on how to fix it themselves, but some people just want to see a technician. That’s where I come in, and make an easy dollar. If you want to save money, you can by fixing it yourself and use the money you saved to take a friend out to dinner instead!


Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for a large selection of fax machine “inkjet and laser toner cartridges” –TonerOvernight.com

Printer Fuser Units – New Versus Refurbished

Laser printer supplies and replacement parts prices can be very expensive, so to save us money some very resourceful people have come up with an alternative to buying new fusers.

Fuser Units
A fuser unit is the part in a laser printer that creates pressure and heat to fuse toner to the paper. Not all of the parts go bad in the whole assembly when they wear out. The main part that wears out is the upper heat roller or the heat sleeve. The coating wears off and causes the toner to not fuse properly. There are replacement rollers and sleeves on the market that you can replace and turn a non-functional fuser into a good working one.

Rebuilding fuser assemblies is not a new thing. Copier technicians have been doing it for years since the first office copier was created. When the fuser wears on any copier they replace certain parts some of which are, the upper heat roller, lower heat roller, bearings, picker fingers, thermistors, drive gears and more. The printer industry has a different approach in that they replace everything as an assembly. People are accustomed to this and when they need a replacement fuser they opt for a new one many times. I believe it is a mind set. A copier service person would look at it as a waste of money. Why buy a new one when you can buy the replacement parts for a fraction of the cost and install them and make it as good as new. You must be cautious when purchasing replacement parts because there are some replacement parts that are sub par, so finding a good parts source is imperative.

Refurbished Fusers

Pros
Cost much less than a new assembly.

Cons
Higher defect rate if you don’t find a quality manufacturer.

New Original Fusers

Pros
You know for sure that what you are getting is as good as there is.

Cons
Cost is much higher than a refurbished fuser. These too can be defective out of the box.


I have replaced many fusers and believe that using refurbished fusers is the way to go. It will not harm the machine and I have seen refurbished fusers last longer than new fusers. You will save money and don’t forget about the recycling aspect. There could be tons of old fuser cores in the land fills if it wasn’t for refurbished fusers. The pros out way the cons when it comes to refurbished fuser units. It is critical that you find quality refurbished fusers with a good warranty and you will save a lot of money while helping keep our landfills from filling up with old fuser units.


Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com

Service Contracts - Part III, Laser Printers

If you are shopping for a Laser Printer you may need a service contract to go along with it. In this article you will learn the ins and the outs of service contracts, read on…

Welcome to the final part of our three part series on service contracts. This article covers service contracts on laser printers. Laser printer maintenance contracts are similar to copier service contracts. Most laser printer service contracts are billed by cost per print. It is essentially the same thing as cost per copy. Each time you print a page the internal meter clicks. On a printer you can get the page count or meter reading by printing a configuration page. Then, each month or quarter an invoice is generated by multiplying the cost per page by the total prints made. The cost per page is determined by monthly volume, age of machine and environment. Environment plays a big part because if it is in a dirty environment it will need possibly twice as much service than a machine in a clean environment.

Service contracts are really similar to an insurance policy. They may or may not save you money. The good part is that your costs are fixed, so you will know how much per year you will spend instead of hoping it won’t break down too much or have a serious or really expensive part break. There are many ways of paying for a service contract. It depends on the way you and your company would like to be billed. Most service companies offer monthly, quarterly and annual billing.

Total Cost Management
There is an explosion of service companies providing this way of tracking all of the costs associated with your copiers and printers. It is called “Total Cost Management.” Most if not all copiers, MFP’s and printers can be monitored on your network with revolutionary print management software. You are able to track your total pages or copies. You can monitor toner low warnings, error codes, paper jams, and everything associated with your machine. This software can help you calculate how much you are paying for the total ownership of all of your equipment. This is very helpful when purchasing new equipment. The software will help you figure all the costs of your equipment, toner, parts, supplies and service.

Coverage
Understanding what is covered and what is not covered is very important to find out before you purchase a service contract. Does the contract include supplies? Some supply items are toner and maintenance kits. Find out what hours the service company is available and days of the week that they operate. Which holidays do they take off? What is their response time? Most service contracts do not cover abuse or neglect. So be cautious with those paper clips and staples as they can cause an expensive repair and it probably won’t be covered. Get all of this in writing then there will not be any surprises.

Which Type of Contract?
Choose an all inclusive service contract that covers everything such as parts, labor, maintenance kits and supplies. Or choose a contract that only covers parts and labor.

Color Laser Printers
Service contracts on full color laser printers are essentially the same except that you will be paying for a color print or a black and white print. Pricing varies, but you will be paying about 9-10 times more per print for color than for black and white. If you have ever purchased toner for a color printer you know that color toner is more expensive.

Conclusion
This concludes our article series on service contracts for Copiers, Fax machines and Laser Printers. My purpose for writing this series was to help shed some light on shopping for service contracts for companies that have never purchased one or are in the process of purchasing a service contract. Each service company will have different options but for the most part they all bill their maintenance contracts as described in my series.

Bill Tucker has been in the office equipment and supply industry for over 20 years and has several published industry related articles that help the end-user as well as the technician.

Click here for more industry related articles and high quality OEM and compatible toner cartridges –TonerOvernight.com