Although photocopiers have been on the market since the middle of the 20th century, newer technologies have improved their speed, performance and price. This article explains how they work, their benefits, their features and pricing.
Laser Copier vs. Laser Printer
It's important to understand the difference between a laser copier and a laser printer. A copier contains a platen (or glass plate) and a scanner. With it, you can reproduce a sheet of paper that's already been imaged--whether it's a computer-printed page or a page from a book or magazine. The copier will scan the image and replicate it exactly. On the other hand, a laser printer is connected to a computer and can print only the information sent to it by the computer. There are many multifunctional devices on the market that can do both: copy and print. Many of these same devices can also scan documents allowing you to import them into various software programs.
Scan and Store
One of the primary technology advances offered by laser copiers is the ability for the devices to scan the document and store that information. Older analog copiers had to scan for every copy they made. If you programmed an analog copier to make 20 copies, the analog copier also had to make 20 scans. This is not the case with laser digital copiers. These newer devices scan a document once and store it on an internal hard drive. Stored documents can be recalled at any time for output.
Creating the Image
The laser copier's primary component is the imaging drum. It's coated with a photoreceptive element that receives an electrical charge. The laser then "draws" the image it scanned onto the drum's surface. Toner particles adhere to areas that contain the charge and are repelled from areas that do not. Next, the image is transferred from the drum to the sheet of paper via static electricity. Finally, the paper with the toner image in place passes through the fusing system where it is pressed and baked into place permanently.
Benefits
There are many benefits associated with laser copiers. The copier's ability to store information for reprint either immediately or at a later time is one of the primary benefits. Because documents can be stored on the copier's hard drive, there's no need to continually scan the original document. This storage capability also expedites the ability to output a number of different documents during the same print run. Changing page order and assigning duplexing attributes are also quicker and easier with laser copiers. Because these copiers are digitally based, they can also act as printers and scanners, reducing the need for offices to maintain several pieces of equipment.
Color Laser Copiers
Color copiers have become commonplace in offices of all sizes. The first ones on the market were expensive to buy and maintain and were typically found only in print shops and advertising agencies. With advances in digital and copier technology, they are now much more affordable. Toner-based laser copiers continue to be more expensive than their ink-jet counterparts, but the quality they produce is higher as well.
Speeds and Feeds
Laser copiers are available in all sizes, and their speed--rated as copies per minute--is the defining factor. Almost all manufacturers offer low-end copiers that can produce 20 copies per minute. Print shops and production houses now use laser copiers that can run at speeds of 180 pages per minute.
Another factor to consider with laser copiers is their throughput--the size paper onto which they can print. Again, low-end models are often limited to letter- or legal-size (8.5 inches by either 11 or 14 inches, respectively). Many midrange models can print on tabloid sheets (11 by 17 inches) while the top-of-the-line models can print on sheets 14 by 20 inches.
Price Ranges
The laser copiers' speeds and feeds also drive their prices. You can purchase small office laser copiers for less than $1,000 while the high-end production devices sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars.
