Photocopier

Selecting a copier for your office
Now that you have decided that you need a photocopier comes the more challenging question: which one to buy. So many factors come into the equation: your immediate and future requirements, budget, warranty, after-sales service and support, your preference for a brand—to name just a few.

Some of these are listed below in more detail:

Pure copier versus a multi-purpose copier

Most modern copiers can, apart from their primary purpose of photo copying, print, scan and fax-- all of which are utilitarian functions in a business environment. However, remember that you are mainly shopping for a copier and therefore, you need to thoroughly assess the extent to which such functions are a necessity to your business requirements.

The question to ask yourself is: will the incremental cost in the additional "bells and whistles" be offset by the benefits or savings you could potentially obtain? Of course, in many cases, it does. For example, the sum of the costs of buying individual equipment may be much higher; or the space requirements posed by multiple equipment may pose a significant challenge.

So, spending a little extra for a multi-purpose copier may certainly be worthwhile considering the cost savings. At the same you must remember that many additional features are sold as add-on modules; so you can decide to add any of the non-critical functions to your photo copy machine at a more appropriate juncture.

Single-side printing versus double-side printing
Certain premium copiers allow the user to print on both sides of the paper. This feature is popularly known as “Duplexing”. The obvious advantage is the long-term reduction in the cost of photo copying paper, which in large organizations with significant volumes of photo copying activity can be significant. The disadvantage is that it could lower the speed of the copier; however, with most digital copiers automating many of the steps involved, double-sided copiers may not affect the process too adversely.

Black & white copiers versus color photo copiers
You also need to decide whether you want to go for a color copier or a black & white (B/W) copier. Color copiers are 20-30% more expensive than a B/W copier. A hybrid copier is the best choice for a business that requires both types of printing or copying in varying quantity. Not only that, a hybrid copier allows the user to switch from a B/W or colour mode as and when required which ensures that you spend only as much is required. If your business requires accuracy in print, you can consider purchasing a dedicated graphic colour machine which is comparatively more expensive.

Versatility with paper
Versatility is a virtue in all facets of life and you are better served with a versatile copier that can accommodate:

• Different sizes of paper ( length and weight of paper may vary)
• Different types of paper (such as index cards, transparencies, books etc.)

While a standard A4 copier might suffice for home office purposes, a regular office might be better off with a more versatile machine.

Paper handling
The last thing you want to see your employees doing is feeding single paper sheets through the copier. To avoid time spent on non-productive activities, ensure your copier has an automatic document feeder and a capacity to hold more than 250 sheets.

Speed
The speed of the copier is another important criterion you need to assess. Evaluate this aspect on two key deliverables:

• Copy Speed: This is the time the copier takes to print pages per minute (ppm).The ideal office requirement is 20 -50 ppm. Different copiers may offer varying speeds.
• First Copy Speed: The time the copier takes to print a single copy. Most copiers today offer a first copy speed of less than ten seconds.

Volume
After you assess the basic expectations for your investment in a copier, you also need to run a check on the extent of use.

• If you own a copier already, you can check the number of copies you take in a month by taking a look at the counter below the platen glass.
• If you outsource your copying requirements examine the number of copies you may have required in the last month to get an idea of the volume of work you will generate for your copier.
• The monthly paper consumption can also provide a rough idea.

It is important to assess this criterion because you need to purchase a copier that has the capacity to deliver your current and expected volume of work. If you intend to use the copier as a network printer you must increase the derived volume by 30-50%. With additional features and future requirements you can further increase your figure by another 15% to derive the expected volume.

If the copier you purchase cannot meet your volume requirements, you can expect a slow down in the functioning of the machine and frequent service expenses.

A slightly expensive yet high capacity copier is always a better option as compared to a low capacity machine.