Copier Technician Basics
COPIER TECH BASICS - What is a copier technician?
A copier technician is a technician that repairs the copier. That sounds easy enough. A technician that repairs the copier. This sounds like a very simple trite little saying but it contains so much. Lets unpack or truly define the term copier technician. Wikipedia has an interesting definition. A technician is a worker in a field of technology who is proficient in the relevant skills and techniques, with a relatively practical understanding of the theoretical principles. Experienced technicians in a specific tool domain typically have intermediate understanding of theory and expert proficiency in technique. As such, technicians are generally much better versed in technique compared to average layman and even general professionals in that field of technology."
Copier Technicians are also often referred to as field engineers. Here is a good working definition of that term. A field engineer is a professional who works at job sites other than the main company office or headquarters. This person often services clients at their homes or businesses. He or she may work in a variety of fields, and can be responsible for installing hardware, servicing a machine, or the maintenance and repair of already-installed products.
Expertise in the area of service, including a strong familiarity with the product, creativity, and problem-solving abilities are all good skills for a field engineer to develop. Since field engineers typically work directly with clients, it can be beneficial to have strong communication skills as well. Good fine motor skills and dexterity are often required. Now what does that mean? It means this. The average copier technician can be considered as one having a practical knowledge of theoretical principles. This means that where as an average person can say there is a problem with the copier. A copier technician can define the problem. This also means that if an engineer can define the location of the problem then the copier technician can fix it.
What skills are required to be a copier technician?
If you are in high school and reading this then lets deal with the starting point of what will help you as a technician. Copier technicians are great puzzle solvers. This means any toys or games that involve solving puzzles is great help in developing the mental processes necessary to solve copier problems. Puzzles such as sudoku, jig saw puzzles, rubics puzzles and the like are good training for copier techs. Video games are also good training. If its an rts... this teaches you process... if its an srpg... this teaches management of resources. if its a sim... this teaches you relationships... Its also good to be mechanically inclined. that means you are the individual who would rather fix a computer problem than pay to have it done or cook a meal instead of buying it.
Now what kind of degree is required. To be honest none really but most companies are looking for an A+. An A+ means that you understand how computers work and you are familiar enough with them that you have taken an industry standard test that proves it. There is also the comptia pdi+ This is a straight out basic copier training that says you know the basics. Its also good if you have network background. A comptia n+ certification would also be something good to have. Concerning in service certifications and trainings from the manufacturer, these are generally provided by the dealer who employs you. If you get enough of these then you are generally very proficient at what you do and can really coast around from job to job but as with anything else you mileage will vary.
Learning basic copier theory.
If you have an old fax machine then you have enough to learn basic copier and printer theory and troubleshooting. Why? Well most fax comes with basic copying and printing capabilities and its a cheap way to learn.
- 1st. lets deal with paper path.
- Paper is fed from the trays or the input section
- it then travels by the drum where it recieves an image and then it goes to the fuser where that image is burned in. the paper then exits the copier and is picked up by the end user.
- lets say there is a paper jam.
- your fist step is to find out where the paper is stopping.
- once you know that then you have to see if its being blocked by a paperclip... a lose part or poor roller contact or a a broken gear.
- next lets deal with image problems
- in general the fax takes a picture of the image and then turns that image into electronic signals and then shoots them over to the drum where it is changes from a set of electronic signals into a text and images on paper.
lets start with lines on copies...
- do an internal print like meter report or a status report. then do a copy job. if you see lines on the copies but not the prints then the part that takes the picture is bad or possibly dirty. if there are lines on the prints but not the copies then the issue is with the original or there is an internal memory problem. if there are lines on both then you might have a dirty camera or laser or fuser.
- if the fax is making grinding noises there is a cracked or broken gear. if the fax is not turning on then check the switch the outlet it is plugged into... if fax still not turning on then test the power cable with a continuity test. if still not turning on then test the power supply... if still not turning on then goto the service manual
- if service manual not useful then check the manufacturer service line
- if manufacturer service line not helpful then check the tech forums
- if tech forums not helpful then Google the problem.
- if parts are broken check the parts manual and order.
- if unable to find parts then Google the part and order.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONSULT THE FOLLOWING LINKS:
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Comparison Between Canon and Xerox Photocopiers
With so many photocopier brands available in the market, picking the best one for yourself becomes quite difficult. If you are not able to decide whether to go for Canon or Xerox photocopiers, just check out the features offered by both the brands and invest in the one that suits your needs and budget well.
Xerox photocopiers can be easily recognized. These are highly respected equipments from one of the quality companies. Xerox is both trade and brand name. The brand has set the standard of the photocopiers that many people use word Xerox for referring a copy machine. Xerox is one of the oldest companies that have been producing fine quality photocopiers.
Quick initial page out technology makes Xerox a popular brand when it comes to photocopiers. In case you have ever used a big photocopier, you would know the amount of time it takes for warming up, for scanning the document and then printing it. It takes a long time for the first page to appear in big photocopiers but Xerox Photocopiers like Phaser have latest technology that offers first page within 5 seconds. The company understands the need of efficiency in the official operations.
Other features that are offered by Xerox Photo copy machines are that of trouble shooting and included software, which other companies offer at an additional price. The best part about buying the Xerox Photocopier is that you will not have a hard time finding technician to fix it as the brand has been around for a long time now. Lesser use of electricity, affordable prices and lesser ink wastage make Xerox Photocopy machines popular.
Canon photocopiers on the other hand are also from trusted and recognized brand of photocopiers. This brand offers solutions from the simple desktop copiers to the high-end multifunction machines that incorporate variety of functions including scanners features, fax machine and printer features in one box. Canon also offers industrial speed photocopy machines that are used by publishing and printing machines too.
Before you pick a canon photocopier for your use, you need to check out your requirements. Find out if you are looking for speed of printing and copying, amount of photo copies, types and sizes of paper and also the cost of photocopiers. If you have a limited budget, you can go for used photocopiers. Look online and find used photocopiers by various brands. You will not have difficulty in buying a photocopier after being acquainted with different features offered by both the companies.
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A Clean Copier Is a Healthy Copier, How to Tell If Your Service Company Is Doing It’s Job?
If your copier/printer tech looks dirty or slob like, most likely your machine is also. People that take pride in their personal hygiene will care what your machine looks like also.
Have you ever put your hands inside your copier and ended up with an arm covered in toner? Next time you are about to renew your maintenance contract have a good look at how the machine looks inside and out and consider whether you are being taken care of properly. if they don't do simple cleaning they probably don't install the necessary parts either.
Considering this economy and the current job and business climate. service company's have to nurse every account as carefully as possible to ensure their clients are extremely happy. If not there is a good chance your client will go elsewhere and use less expensive services. after all what sets you aside from your competition??
They say "you can see into the mind of a man by looking inside his garage" if this is true then it holds true, appearance is everything or at least a very good sign all is well or not well.
I had the opportunity recently to a give a second opinion on a copier that has not been working correctly for some time. Upon walking toward the machine I first noticed the entire machine covered in dust and dirt, first clue. Next clue I opened the machine to find a piles of toner but not just toner because it had dust mixed in with it meaning it has been a long time since it was cleaned. Knowing this model quite well I then looked at one of the most common faulty parts designed for this machine. Guess what, It had not been replaced in some time if ever! This machine was under a full a service contract and the tech had been there repeatedly... I WONDER IF THE TECH SHOWERS AND WASHES HIS CLOTHS MUCH???
Dave Geertsen senior tech SLC, UTAH
http://www.absofslc.com
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Xerox WorkCentre XE88 Printer – So Compact Yet So Many Functions
Many businesses are now buying the Xerox WorkCentre XE88 printer for their office. It is best for a small office or even a home office. You will love how this printer does everything that you need and it is all in one machine. For a wonderful digital scanner, copier and printer, this machine will perform every function seamlessly and produce page after page of perfect printing with the Xerox WorkCentre XE88 toner.
This machine actually prints very quickly. It can print 8 pages per minute at up to 600 x 600 dpi resolution. This is for both the printer and the copier. That is truly amazing in this printer class. There are also many options that are available that you can use for printing, copying or scanning. Some are enlarging copies and reducing copies. You can also print onto transparencies and labels if you need to.
This is actually a great printer for any small office or home office. It weighs only 25 pounds and has a small footprint so that you can fit it into smaller areas. This can help any office that is low on space. Many people use it on a small desk, so this size really works well for that.
If you would like to buy this machine, just go online and you can find it for a lot less money than in a store. Many companies that are online also have great deals on shipping and handling.
Since Xerox is such a great company, you can depend on their great service. If you have any problems you can count on Xerox to help you. Since you will get a three-year warranty on this printer, you can rest assured that it will last you for a long time.
You cannot get a better machine for a better price. The price is incredibly low and the copies are seriously remarkable for a less expensive printer. The paper tray holds up to 250 pages so that you save time and your office can be much more efficient. Your office can run much more smoothly and when you print, you can print a lot faster.
If your business is trying to be more environmentally conscious, then this is the machine for you. There is an energy saving button that you can use. It also automatically goes into power saving mode when you do not use it for a while. This is great in case you forget to turn it off. You will save electricity, which is great for the environment. Since we all really need to do our part to help the environment, this is a great choice.
So if you need to get an all in one machine, then you need the Xerox WorkCentre XE88. Not only will you get all of your printing needs taken care of, but you will also be able to scan and copy anything that you want with each print sharp and crisp thanks to Xerox WorkCentre XE88 Toner. Using quality Xerox WorkCentre Series Toner in your printer is a great idea, as is ordering replacement toner from a company that cares enough to offer terrific prices. Check online for all the deals.
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The Benefits of Using a Multifunction Color Copier
If you're looking to supply your office with the essential machines to keep your business running as best as it can, then you know that you have got a lot of decisions to make. There are a lot of different machines, a lot of them mixed in one, that you need to carefully consider what your wants and needs are before making a purchase. Gone are the times when you need to have a photocopy machine, a fax, a printer a scanner, etc., all set up individually in your office. Nowadays, most people would rather choose a multifunction copier than purchasing each machine separately.
Choosing this kind of copier will help you save your budget for the machine itself, as well as the space in your office. With this kind of copier, your have a lot of options. You have to know precisely what you need the machine to do. Do you currently have a facsimile machine set up that's working well? Perhaps you do not need your MFP copier to have faxing capabilities so that you can choose wisely what kind of machine would be right for you then. Or maybe you simply need your copier to have printing and duplicating functions.
So, you should know what you want, so that you can get the right machine for the job. Have an idea of how many copies or pages you'll be printing every month. If you plan to make closer to one thousand than 100, it is perhaps best to choose a larger machine made to handle a higher printing volume.
Another thing to be considered is whether you'd choose a laser printer or an inkjet printer. While the ink in an inkjet printer would cost you more, if you do not make many copies or prints, it could be worth the added expense, as the machine itself would cost you less. On the other hand, a laser copier will be far cheaper when it comes to offices that make more copies, despite the fact that the initial value of the machine might be more expensive.
And once you have considered these, you still have to take a look at the capabilities of any printer copier you're interested in. What kind of paper do you need for printing? What are the right sizes? Do you need the copier to have the ability to print on both sides without messing up the paper? Is the printer compatible with your system at work so the staff can access it from their computer work stations?
As with any big purchase, buying a multifunction copier is an investment and one that has to be made with the utmost care. Select a brand with a good name that would match up with the quality and service you're looking for. It's always wiser to make some research before making any kind of purchase.
Mike Araujo is an expert on any kind of multifunction copier. To get more information, visit MFP Copier.
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Copier Printer Scanner Features – Terms and Accessories
The copier printer all in one industry has changed over the past three years. What use to be options now comes standard accessories on many copier models. If you plant to lease a copier or purchase a copier printer all in one it's important to know the features and what you actually need for your office equipment. What is an ADF or DADF (automatic documents feeder)? The ADF or DADF sits on the top of the copier printer scanner and gives you the ability to automatically feed a stack of papers to copy, fax out or scan to computer. Some brands of copiers still call this an option. However, a machine never goes out the door without this. Usually the feeder allows up to 50 pages (some up to 100 pages) at one time on your digital copier or multifunction printer.
What does digital sorting mean on Canon, sharp and Ricoh Copiers (other brands too)? All brands of color copiers and multifunction copiers for the past 5 years provide digital sorting without using an external optional mailbox finisher. Digital sorting means each copy, print or fax job is "offset" from the previous one (shifted side to side). This feature does not limit the number of document sets your copier can sort. If you had an optional external copier mailbox finisher then you are limited to the number of slots. What is a duplex unit? The duplex unit gives your digital copier the ability to do two sided printing and copying. It's an option on some brands. However the more recent models (3 years old or less) it's standard. On business class copiers (Canons, Sharp, Ricoh, Kyocera and other models) you can do two sided to one side, one to two, two to four copying and printing using the menu keys.
What are the paper Drawers options? All business class copier printer scanners come with two paper drawers. The lower end personal copiers usually come with one drawer. Each paper drawer "cassette" handles several size papers from A4 up to 11 x 17. Most of the current models can handle sizes A4 to Legal. Most mid-range digital copier's drawers handle paper up to 11 x 17 size pages. Paper Cassette Drawer Options include: Additional paper drawers (feeders) up to 3,000 pages on some models of copiers. The typical optional copier paper drawers handle 500 sheets of paper. If you are using heavy paper stock you may need to use a bypass tray on your laser printer copier. Are the copier printers green by saving on electricity? Energy compliant power save mode is a standard feature on most recent model digital copier scanners. Due to pressure from governments, end user and marketing professionals, power save mode is here to stay. Basically the color copier printer will put itself in a lower power usage stage waiting for printer copier jobs to process. Once it receives a job it powers back up quickly. This reduces electrical expenses and saves you money.
Do all copier scanners come with the fax option? Usually this is an option not a standard copier scanner accessory. This copier all in one option gives you the ability to send and received faxes. Plus, with most brands of photocopiers you get fax to email and fax to computers. If you have a network it will require the setting of mail boxes and installation of software of each computer. What are the security and client tracking or billing features? Lawyers are great at this. They charge their clients for every piece of paper produced on their printer copier scanner. One way they track the actual number of pages produce is through the digital photocopiers security measures. Most machines have the ability to assign access codes. You can assign a copier access code for each employee, client or department. Once setup you have to input a security code before a job will print or copy on the all in one printers.
At the end of the billing period just print an access report to get the total pages copied or printed by each access code. Not Sure What You need? Ask questions! If your sales person is all hype and no meat then go someplace else. Color printer copier features and options are designed for a specific purpose. Do not assume the digital copier scanner will do what you want. Ask for the specification sheet.
Want more information contact me through our blog at Advanced Business Computers Inc. If you need help determining the best copier or printer then go to the copier printer help form (see above link). To get more information check out http://www.abctechsolutions.com.
Advanced Business Computers, Inc.
Specialists in Technology related to computers, network, copiers
printers and fax equipment based in South Florida since 1989
All rights reserved @ Mike Klein 2009
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Choosing the Best Multifunction Printer For Your Home Or Business
A multifunction printer, also called an all in one can best be described as a device that mixes many different features into a single machine. This generates a smaller footprint best suited for small businesses or home offices where separate devices for every function tends to takes up a lot of room. Generally these units offer the best deals so their sales tend to be higher than most office electronic devices that just perform one function. A multifunction printer also comes in both inkjet and laser printing choices, however the inkjet is produced more often and is popular due to affordability and it generally makes the most effective printer for personal use. Laser devices are more suited to big organizations and businesses or engineering use. However, personal laser printers have become more popular in recent years.
A multifunction printer is typically a combination of 2 or more of the following devices:
Printer
Scanner
Photocopier
Fax
E-mail
They are all wrapped up into a convenient, compact unit. Normally the price is between $100 and $200 based on the brand, the printer specs as well as features. There are some bare bones multifunction printers at hand that cost under $100. These are likely to be trimmed down versions of the more expensive models. Additionally, there are models which may be upwards of $200 or more. This is almost always dependent on the device having the most up to date features and technology.
The best multifunction printer will always have both a printer and a scanner. If you would like a printer for a small business or your home office you should consider investing in a printer that has the benefit of a fax and copier. If you're a professional photographer or freelance photographer and do not have or need your own photo lab it is best to consider splurging on a high quality photo printer. An amateur photographer can just limit yourself to a printer like the lower cost photo printers.
Virtually all printers are either multifunction or all in one since almost all printers, whether or not they be photo printers, office printers or business printers they almost always both print and scan.
If you're searching for a brand new printer it is recommended to look for something that performs more than a single function. Check out the best multifunction printer resource and see which printer is best for you.
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All in One Printer Review – The Top 7 Multifunction Printers
All in one printers are extremely popular at the moment and there are some excellent products currently around at some great princes.
They offer a wide range of features such as the ability to photocopy, fax, and scan all in the same device.
This is a great time and money saver as you do not have to pay for each individual device separately or waste precious time installing and setting up each product.
You just buy one model, install it, and you're then ready to print, fax, scan, and photocopy!
One of the main issues for people when looking for an all in one printer is the sheer volume of choice - it can be difficult to differentiate between the different models.
This article provides an overview of seven of the best all in one printers that are all well worth checking out if you're looking for a new multipurpose printer.
Brother MFC-7840W Multifunction Printer
This printer is fantastic - it provides very high print quality and the scans it produces are clear and accurate. You can also connect it to your wireless network (at work or home) which is useful if several people need access to it. It's also portable and compact, and looks great.
HP Officejet 6310 All-in-One Printer
The HP Officejet 6310 is a great all in one printer - it's certainly one of the top models around at the moment and has some great features. The printing quality is very high and the copying function is also excellent. It's quiet, the installation and initial setup is simple and straightforward, and it looks very nice.
Canon MP980 All-in-One Printer
The Canon MP980 is a very slick printer - the printing quality is top notch and the scanning functions also work very well. It comes with a very large LCD display which makes the printer much easier to use and work with. The menu system is highly intuitive and simple to use, enabling you to complete your tasks more efficiently.
Canon Pixma MX850 All-In-One Printer
This printer has a very modern and stylish appearance - it comes with a whole set of great features and is easy to set up and get started. The menu system is well designed and the printing quality is extremely good. It's quiet, has very little shake when printing, and allows you to perform double sided printing!
HP Photosmart C7280 All-in-One Printer
The HP Photosmart is a great option if you're intending to do lots of photo printing - the quality is exceptionally good and your photos will come out great! It's easy to install and very simple to function - it's also relatively quiet and prints at a decent speed. Definitely worth checking out!
Canon MP480 All-in-One Printer
One of the main strengths of the Canon MP480 is its print speed - it's very fast and also still produces a nice print quality - the scanning and copying functions work great as well. It's very small, compact, and light, and will take up minimal space in your work area.
HP Deskjet F4280 All-in-One Printer
This is a very nice all in one printer - it comes with a range of great features and is easy and simple to install. It also goes about its business in a quick and quiet manner. The scanner and photocopier also function perfectly well - they are not as good as standalone models, but certainly good enough for most users needs!
That completes this all in one printer review - these are all great printers and definitely worth checking out if you're on the lookout for an all in one printer.
For more detailed reviews, news and information on the top all in one printers, check out http://www.BestAllInOnePrinters.net
Peter James
Best All In One Printers
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Photocopier Accessories – Finding the Right Additional Features For Your Photocopier
When it comes to buying photocopiers today there are certain features that machines come with as standard. Plus in many cases there are plenty of features that you will be charged extra for. In this article we look at features that may well be standard on some photocopier machines, but which you can then add on to yours at a later date.
You need to be aware that some of the additional features on offer are the types that can just be plugged into your current machine in order to upgrade it. Whilst there are others that need the services of an engineer in order to fix them to your machine. So before considering adding any additional features onto your copier find out what work is involved to do so.
1. If you have a digital copier then by adding a printer module and network card to yours it can also become laser printer. It is able to produce the same number of copies as it would if you were using it just as a copier. So if you have a five page two sided stapled document to produce you can do so whilst still sat at your desk.
2. Another feature that many people find useful now to have on their copiers is the ability for it to scan documents as well. This means that everything can be stored within the copiers system before it actually needs copying. So once all the pages have been scanned in the machine can then be left to run whilst you get on with other tasks that need your attention.
The kinds of add ons which can help to convert a copier into a scanner as well are optical character recognition (OCR) software. This then turns papers into electronic documents which one can edit and allows you to scan them directly as an attachment to e-mails or to place on your computer desktop.
3. A number of photocopiers today provide you with the feature that allows you to both send and receive faxes from it. As it comes with a document feeder this provides you with the facility to send multi-page faxes if you need to or just single pages. Any incoming faxes will be automatically printed out as they are received and may well be delivered to a different output tray from that used for copying. Some machines even have the ability if they are networked to your PC to be able to allow you to send faxes directly from it.
4. Some of the more complex photocopiers now come with the feature that allows image editing to take place. This means that automatic page numbering can take place as the copies are being created or watermarks can be added. Some machines even allow the copies to have a date added on to them. Plus they may well have the facility that allows the images scanned to be rotated. This then means that they match with the paper supply available in the machine so you aren't having to waste time setting them up before hand.
Above we have looked at some of the additional features that may come as standard on photocopiers today, or which you can add on at a later date. But of course one of the best features that most copiers now come with is that they save energy whilst not in use.
Find out more about Copiers and printer accessories Printer and Copier Accessories where you'll find copier articles and information http://printerbitz.info
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History of the Photocopier Machine
A patent attorney called Chester Carlson invented a process called electro photography in October 1937 which was then renamed to Xerography in 1938. The "10-22-38 Astoria" was the first known photocopy. The Xerography copying processes become one of the most well known inventions of the 20th century. Carlson became wealthy from the invention and created a new billion dollar industry and received world acclaim. It is estimated that Carlson gave away almost $100 million of his earnings to charity and foundations before his death in 1968.
Development of Xerography
Ten years after Carlson's Xerography invention, he found a company to take it on called The Haloid. The Haloid were a New York based photo-paper manufacturer and they later on became Xerox Corporation.
The First Office Copier
Who invented Xerox photocopiers? In 1955 Haloid Xerox produced the first automated xerographic machine called Copyflo. By 1958 the first true office copier was produced. Twenty two years after the electro photography, the first ever commercial push button photocopier machine called the 914 was introduced.
Good Times for Xerox
In three years, Haliod Xerox income increased from 2 million in 1960 to over 22 million by 1963, which became a phenomenal success.
In 1961 Haliod Xerox became Xerox and its stock was listed on the New York Stock exchange. The success grew from the 914 as Xerox introduced 24 new products after 20 years.
Changing Market
The Xerox domination later changed when new manufacturers changed what the world knew as a Xerox machine to a "photocopier" and it was a new beginning for the greatest marketing battle of the 20th century.
As early as 1955 Ricoh were emerging as a potential competitor for Xerox and developed the RiCopy 101 Diazo copier. In 1975 Ricoh had developed a prize winning copier called RiCopy DT 1200.
Brands such as Minolta, Panasonic, Toshiba, Canon, Konica and of course Sharp began to produce small office copiers, which became a big challenge in completion for Xerox's domination in the business copier market.
Copiers Today
Today, Xerox continues to be one of the world's leaders in the copier market along with Sharp and Konica Minolta. Recently, copier machines provide more than just copy. They can now print, fax, scan and even send out emails. This has become a great way to save money on office equipment and has also provided businesses with more office space, where before they would have had separate machines such as printers, fax machines and scanners.
This Article is not trying to promote our products or our website. We are just giving out free information on photocopying equipment.
For further information visit our website at http://www.fcbs.co.uk
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