If you have worked in an office for over a decade, it is likely that you will have seen many changes over the years. One of these changes is likely to involve photocopier technology. Over the last decade the technology of photocopiers has dramatically changed and in this article we aim to uncover some of the key differences.

 

New features

In the past ten years photocopiers have adopted digital technology, replacing older analog technology. With this, they have also gained a number of new features, for example, most photocopiers are now integrated with scanning and laser printing technology. There are a number of benefits to this new technology including automatic image quality enhancement and the ability to carry out multiple tasks simultaneously.

 

Over the last few years photocopying technology has gained even more features. For example, you can now scan in the documents and send them via email or to cloud storage straight from the photocopier. These new features have dramatically increased efficiency levels in the work place.

 

Improved efficiency

Digital photocopiers tend to use a feature called automatic digital collation. This means that when a user is looking to make, say ten copies of a ten page document, the photocopier will only scan each page once. It will then store the information and produce multiple copies, collating the pages for easy retrieval. This is something that analog photocopier technology was not capable of doing. If you were creating ten copies of a ten page document, it would need to scan each page ten times and create one set at a time, which would take up a lot of time and use a lot of energy.

 

Managed by software

Today photocopiers can be managed digitally using computer software. A decade ago copier support technicians would have to manage the hardware using its switches and components. Not only can photocopiers now be configured using software, but technicians also have access to the internet for troubleshooting problems with their technology.

 

Paper jams are less frequent

Ask any photocopier technician that has been in the job for over a decade and we bet they will say that they get less paper jam problems today than in the past. This is due to the fact that new photocopier models have been designed with clean paper paths, which make access to the paper and removal of the paper much easier.

 

Modern day photocopying technology is designed to eliminate issues such as paper jams, which in the past cost businesses time and money.

 

Energy consumption

One of the main differences between modern day photocopiers and ten year old photocopiers is energy consumption. Most of the photocopiers that are manufactured today have to meet some form of energy consumption standards. They also tend to be manufactured from recycled materials to improve sustainability. Due to the fact they are more efficient, they also cost businesses less to run than their predecessors.

 

Support

The rapid developments in photocopier technology over the past ten years has meant that technicians and other employees working in the office environment have had to constantly educate themselves in order to keep up to speed. Not only have photocopiers gained new features and capabilities over the years, but the way in which they are supported and configured has also gained a digital platform.

 

Conclusion

It is fair to say that photocopier technology has seen some significant developments over the past ten years. With developments being so vast and taking place so quickly, it will be interesting to see just how the technology will continue to develop over the next decade.