Computers are now the size of smartphones, and once-large cameras are now tiny components of almost every gadget. Technology appears to be becoming smaller every day. The mainstay of the office, however, continues to be big, floor-standing copiers. Floor-standing machines not only handle bigger quantities, but they also often survive longer. Desktop copiers provide a more portable choice. Although each model differs differently from the others, industry predictions can give a broad notion of how long big copiers will last.
- Average Lifespan
Impact Technology Inc.’s Copiers Refurbished business puts the lifespan of a floor-standing copier that sees significant use at the low end of the spectrum at two to three years. The business advises that problems and malfunctions may start to happen beyond this point. According to CR and photocopier maker Falcon, however, five years appears to be a universally recognised average lifespan for a conventional floor-standing copier used often. High-end copiers and floor-standing machines with minimal use can survive up to seven to ten years at most.
- Output
The most popular floor-standing types of business-grade copiers are made to make 1,000 copies per month at the low end. Up to 50,000 copies per month can be processed by powerful equipment. The maximum monthly duty cycle of your copier might give you an indication of how many pages you can copy each month, but exceeding those figures is not advised if you want your machine to last as long as possible. The “best zone” or “recommended monthly volume for optimum performance” listed in your copier’s specifications should be used instead of the maximum because maximums sometimes reflect exaggerated results. According to Paul Albano of Canon U.S.A., continuously operating your copier at maximum speeds would be comparable to “pushing on the accelerator pedal of your automobile down to the floor every day, eight hours a day.”
- Extending Your Copier’s Life
Use an anti-static liquid cleanser to keep your copier’s scanner glass clean, and use the mylar bar that comes with most business-grade copiers to frequently clean the drum. The life of your machine may also be significantly increased by cleaning the fuser with a little coating of silicon oil and using a copier vacuum to remove dust from the interior. To get the most life out of your copier, always adhere to the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance schedule.
- Considerations
The longevity of your copier is significantly influenced by your copy volume and maintenance, in addition to the individual manufacturer, model, and duty cycle. As a result, the lifespan of each copy machine differs. Although refurbished copiers normally don’t last as long as new copiers, they can provide better value in terms of the total cost of ownership. For example, a two-year-old used copier acquired at a good price may still have up to eight years of life. When your device finally dies, big copiers and other office equipment are accepted by recyclers nationwide, and some copier makers even accept the return of their own items for recycling.
