Copy Machine BlogAll you need to know about copy machines

If you run a small business, you’re probably aware of how expensive office supplies can be, especially the big purchases like computers, faxes and copy machines. If you’re in need of a new copier for your office but are on a tight budget, you may want to look into refurbished copiers. Many often think of lower quality when they hear used or refurbished, but in actuality, you could get a like-new copier for a dramatically lower price than retail.

When many people hear the term “refurbished” they equate it with mechanics going to junkyard and piecing together old and beat machines, and then passing them off as “like-new.” But in reality, the copiers selected for refurbishing are chosen through a careful process where only the copiers with low-usage that are in reasonable condition are selected. These are then disassembled, examined closely, and all areas are cleaned to ensure it looks like new when you get it. New parts replace the worn ones, and then the copier is tested several times to make sure it functions at its most optimal level. If this still doesn’t sell you, many refurbished copiers come with a warranty that guarantees the rebuilt copier 100%.

All in all, if you’re on a tight budget, refurbished copiers are something you should look into.

We all know what happens when you take out your problems on your copy machine… IT TRANSFORMS! To avoid this potentially life-threatening scenario, here are some simple troubleshooting techniques.

Problem: Crooked/misaligned copies.
Solution: Check the paper tray–if that paper isn’t straight, nothing else can be!

Problem: Paper has lines on it.
Solution: Black lines indicate that there is something on the glass plate that won’t let light get through. They could also be caused by dust in the scanner’s mirror unit.

Problem: Burning smell coming from the machine.
Solution: Paper is trapped in the part of the copier that fuses the toner to its surface, called the fusing unit. The paper won’t catch on fire, but you should look into replacing the pressure rod or tension springs.

Problem: Machine cannot pull paper from the feeder tray.
Solution: Check the feed tires, as they are either very dirty or need to be replaced.

Problem: Paper comes out blank.
Solution: You’re not out of toner if there’s absolutely nothing on the page. It’s more likely that the laser diode (the light that flashes across the copier) is broken and must be replaced.

Office workers use photocopiers every day, but not many of us understand how they actually work. Essentially, copiers function through the use of light, static electricity, and the attraction of oppositely charged particles.

The process begins when a positive charge is applied to the copier drum, an internal metal roller (pictured above).

Just like a balloon that’s been rubbed on the carpet and charged with static electricity, a charged copier drum will attract nearby objects – except instead of hair and paper, a drum attracts toner particles.

Of course, if the drum were uniformly charged, it would attract toner all across its surface and you’d wind up with a completely black piece of paper. Not ideal.

Instead, your copier drum is selectively charged, so that only the black areas of the paper receive a charge.

This selectivity is achieved with light – that’s where the “photo” part of “photocopier” comes in. Here’s how it works:

• The toner begins with a uniform positive charge.
• Photons of light hit the drum only through the white areas of the original piece of paper – the dark spots block the light.
• Electrons on the drum are attracted to the photons, thus neutralizing the positive charge on certain areas of the drum.
• The toner is negatively charged, so it only sticks to the non-neutralized, positively charged regions.

Once the toner is on the drum, it has to get on the new sheet of paper. To accomplish this, the copier gives that paper a charge, empowering it to pull the toner particles from the drum.

Finally, heat is applied to seal the paper to the toner, which is heat sensitive. And presto chango – you’ve got your copy in hand!

If you own a Brother printer or copy machine there are many good reasons why you should also use original Brother toner cartridges in your printer. By the same token, there are many reasons why you should avoid using compatible Brother toners, refurbished Brother toner or try to refill your own cartridge. If cost is an issue, you may find it better serves you and your home or business to work out ways to conserve on the amount of printing you do, rather than trying to save money by using compatible toner in your cartridges. The problem with many refurbished cartridges is that while the toner inside the cartridge itself is changed, usually the individual parts such as rollers and small gears are not changed and they are often quite worn to the point that they no longer perform well at all.

At worst, using worn cartridge parts inside your printer could do some damage. At best, it can cause a lot of delay and frustration when you install your refurbished cartridge and it does not work, and thus has to be replaced. This is never a problem when you purchase original Brother toners. Another consideration is that not all toner is the same composition. Brother toner is made specifically to use with the specified models of Brother printers and has the right combination of toner and developer to help it to run smoothly and produce optimum print copies – which is especially important if you are using these prints and toners for something like a corporation or business.

Using an original cartridge will also help to protect the Brother drum inside your printer. Incidentally, to help offset costs, Brother printers have Brother drums, which means you can extend the life of your printer for quite some time. As with the cartridges though, if you do need to replace your drum it is important to use an original drum, not a refurbished or compatible model. One of the best ways to conserve on the amount of money spent on toner cartridges is to do the bulk of your printing on draft mode, which can usually be accessed through the printer properties.

This is usually sufficient for most documents and pages printed. In fact, you can make printing in draft mode your default and that will help you to avoid ‘accidentally’ printing out a long document in a higher quality. Also, proofread and correct any documents before you go ahead and print. Most word processing programs have spelling and grammar checking options, so be sure to use them as a lot of paper and toner can be wasted by printing unedited work and then having to reprint again. If you need to print out something for informational purposes, try to only print the section that contains the instructions or information you need, rather than printing an entire document.

Above all, in order to lengthen the life of your Brother printer, use original Brother toner cartridges and an original Brother drum. This is probably one of the best ways to ensure that your printer will not only last you a long time, but also give optimum printing results.