OFFICE AUTOMATION – I MODERN OFFICE EQUIPMENT 7. USE OF PHOTOCOPIERS This lesson will introduce you to the photocopier. This machine has become the backbone of today’s modern office. It performs the role of creating multiple copies of any document. This is necessary when you would like to circulate some information to a lot of people in the form of circulars, examination papers, notices, true copies of legal documents etc.
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Objectives After going through this lesson, you will be able to:
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Understand the history and development of copying and photocopiers Identify the basic components of the photocopier Understand its principle of operation Understand its application and utility in modern office Evaluate its advantages and disadvantages in day to day office situations.
Introduction In a modern office situation it is required many a times to create multiple copies of an original document. A traditional method of copying a document was using a carbon paper, while creating the original document. However, this method being manual was slow and impossible to use for creating multiple copies. The photocopier has evolved with time and provides an improved method of copying while providing excellent quality and speed.
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Photocopying Photocopying is the process of making exact paper copies of documents, both texts and other visual images, quickly and cheaply. Although the advent of the peripheral computer printer has lessened their importance somewhat, the office photocopier is still a very big player in the world of office equipment. The process used by photocopiers is known as Xerography. This term is derived from the Greek words "xeros" meaning "dry" and “graphos” which means "writing".
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History of Photocopying Traditionally over a long period of time, paper copies were being made by using carbon papers, Mimeograph machines, stencil duplicators etc. Photocopying was first introduced by a company based in the USA called Xerox in the year 1958 and it instantly became popular because of its advantages over traditional copying methods. The principle of Xerography was conceived by Chester F. Carlson, Manager of the patent department at the Mallory battery company. Carlson was frustrated by the constant need to copy patent documents. Copying by hand was impractical and photography was expensive. After many months of experimentation, Carlson received his first patent for "electro photography" in 1937. It further took a decade before practical photocopying was realized, and a decade longer until the first automated Xerox photocopier went on sale. Today photocopiers are indispensable in large offices where dozens or hundreds of identical documents have to be printed out for distribution within or outside the office.
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Main Parts of a Modern Photocopier The main components of a modern day photocopier are:
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A paper source tray where fresh papers (on which the copy has to be produced), are stored. Original document placement area, where the original document is kept to be photocopied by the machine. Collection tray, from where copy of the original document is collected after photocopy has been done. Control dashboard, where all operating switches are placed. The image on the next page shows how a modern day photocopier looks like:
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Original document placement area, where original document is to be placed Photocopies of original document collected from here Paper source tray – fresh papers stored here
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All operating switches are placed on the control dash board
Principle Of Operation Having understood the basic components, now we shall try to learn the basic principle of operation of a photocopy machine. In order to understand how a photocopy is generated, we shall first understand the basic functioning of components inside a photocopy machine:
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Drum Inside the photocopier, there is a special metallic drum which is covered with a layer of photoconductive material. This drum acts like a balloon, which gets charged with static energy when rubbed on a woolen cloth. In its charged state, the balloon can attract small bits of paper or small particles of sugar.
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Toner Second, there is a fine black powder known as Toner. The ‘drum’ when charged with electricity, attracts the fine toner particles.
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Corona Wires Corona wires are used to generate a positive charge on the surface of both the drum and the copy paper.
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Lamps and lenses The photocopying process requires light with very high energy to be flashed on the original document. This is achieved by using a plain incandescent bulb or fluorescent bulb with lenses.
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Operating a Photocopier
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The original document is placed on the glass top below the top cover. The top cover has to be lifted and the document kept.
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The top cover is then placed back. This presses the original document against the glass top.
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Switch on the machine .The power on switch is on the left side of the machine.
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Now select the enlargement or reduction settings you want. In case you need a larger text than the original, then increase the zoom level beyond 100% and vice versa.
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In case the document is faint, then increase the toner settings. In case the document is dark, reduce the toner settings.
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Place some fresh papers in the ‘Paper In‘ tray. Use the correct papers only. On the control panel enter the number of copies that you want. This is displayed on the panel.
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Press the start button. In case you would like to cancel the copying process, please press the ‘Cancel’ button.
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Collect your copies from the out tray.
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Features and Utility of a Modern Photocopier Today’s modern photocopiers are equipped with a variety of features all aimed to make the process of photocopying more convenient and less time consuming for the user. Some of these features are:
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Document size enlargement / reduction – helps in altering the size of the copy. This has obvious utility as it is sometimes required to enlarge a small text in the original document for better visibility or alternatively it may be required to reduce the size of original document, so that it may fit in a single page.
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Multiple copies – User can choose to make multiple copies of the original, at the convenience of single click of a button.
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Toner strength – User can decide upon the intensity of the ink sprayed on the paper to get a dark or a light photocopy. A variety of other advanced features like automatic sorting, collating and stapling are now available in photocopiers.
Self Check Questions Fill in the Blanks 1. In case the document is faint, then increase the _________ settings 2. Inside the photocopier, there is a special _____ drum which is covered with a layer of photoconductive material 3. Photocopying is the process of making exact paper copies of both texts and other visual images, quickly and _____________ Answer in True or False 4. 5. 6. 7.
A photocopier can produce only 1 copy at a time ? Enlarged copies of an original document cannot be made in a photocopier? The photocopying machine is cheap to buy ? Photocopying produces exact copies of the original.
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Application and Usage Areas As explained earlier, the key application of a photocopy machine is to produce multiple copies of a document, required either for storage or for reference by multiple users. The photocopy machine is used in almost all establishments like schools and offices.
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Advantages The main advantages of a photocopier over other traditional methods of copying are:
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Photocopying is a faster process than other traditional methods of copying. Photocopying produces exact copies of original with finest details. Photocopying can reproduce exact copies of all forms of text, sketches, diagrams, graphs, pictures etc. There is minimum chance of human error and there is no need of manual rechecking.
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7.10 Limitations • • •
Photocopy machines run on electricity and can not operate in the absence of the same. A Photocopy machine is largely bulky and can not be easily transported from one place to other. Cost of operations and maintenance is relatively higher.
7.11 Summing Up In this section you have learnt about the basic principle on which a photocopier operates. You have also learnt about the various parts of a photocopier machine and the procedure to photocopy an original document. The key advantages & limitations of a photocopier machine were also discussed in relation to traditional methods of copying.
7.12 Answers to ‘Self Check Questions’ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
toner metallic cheaply True False False True
7.13 Terminal Questions 1. Describe the steps involved in making a photocopy of a document. 2. List the advantages and dis advantages of a photocopying machine . 3. How is a photocopying machine better than a cyclostyling machine ?
7.14 Glossary • • • • •
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Photocopying: This is a process of creating true copies of a document through a process of deposition of ink particles on plain paper. Cyclostyling: This is a process that evolved from the usage of carbon paper. Here liquid ink is deposited through a stencil on palin paper. Drums: These are steel rollers used inside both machines to press the ink against the paper. Stencil: A special sheet of paper that is used to create a screen for printing in a cyclostyling machine. Toner: These are special ink particles deposited around an acetate base and are used in a photocopying machine to create the image on a fresh paper.