Most modern copiers function flawlessly under the light rigors of small business use. Unless you’re printing large quantities of flyers or other collateral pieces, you’ll probably rarely experience issues with your copier if it’s properly maintained. However, there are a few factors that can impact the performance of your small business copy machine in Fairbanks that can leave you frustrated as your workflow grinds to a halt and holds your business hostage.
But what factors can render your usually reliable and productive printer temporarily useless? Unfortunately, there are many seemingly insignificant issues that can cause it to cease proper operation. After all, your copier is a precision instrument no matter how commonplace it may seem in the standard business landscape. And as such, it can’t tolerate many aberrations without rebelling, which can leave you frustratingly idle while you await a copier repair service. Keep reading below to learn what factors can influence the operation of your small business copier.
Staples and Paper Clips
There are many precision moving parts in the average copier even though you’ve likely never seen them at work. However, when foreign objects common in the office environment make their way into your copy machine, they can wreak havoc on its normal operation. Metal objects such as staples and paper clips are small enough to sneak into the workings of your copier where they can not only cause malfunctions, but also do serious damage to your copier’s sensitive mechanisms.
Failure to Use Quality Paper
There are two critical raw materials that make the unsung work of the small business copier possible. Those materials are the paper and ink that’s used to generate documents. When the paper used in the copier is old, brittle, wrinkled, or torn, it can foul up the usually smooth operation of your copier. Your copier counts on paper that’s smooth and free of damage to work properly and proceed through the rollers without issue. When the paper is damaged, there’s little doubt that it will eventually get caught in the system and bring your copier to its proverbial knees. It’s not just enough to use paper that’s in good repair, either. Your copier also demands that the right paper is used. That means only paper that meets the correct weight, size, thickness, and finish specifications will guarantee proper function of the copier. Departing from those standards is a recipe for a malfunction.
Working It Too Hard
Your copier, like the employees that staff your business, can’t be counted upon to work constantly without a break. When a copier is used nonstop, it generates a great deal of heat. That heat can damage sensitive electronics within the copier’s shell, and it can also result in degraded image reproduction. While the toner needs to be warm to bond with the paper during the printing process, it’s best to let the machine go idle and cool down between jobs to preserve its life span and ensure that you get good-quality reproductions.
Dirty or Scratched Glass
There’s a lot of glass in the average printer, and that glass must be of high quality to render precise reproductions and images. However, no matter how good the glass is, it can be degraded by fingerprints, smudges, dust, and scratches. In the case of the first three, a simple cleaning with a gentle glass cleaner and a microfiber cloth is all that’s necessary to restore perfect function. If the glass becomes scratched through contact with staples, employee jewelry, or other metal items, you may not be able to render perfect images without replacing the glass.
There are many varied factors that can impact the performance of your Canon copier in Fairbanks, AK, though most of them are easy to control. By protecting against some of the factors that will degrade image quality, you can keep your copier running smoothly for years to come. If it’s time to replace your copy machine, contact Arctic Office Products at (907) 276-2322 for help choosing the right one for your needs.
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