Copy machines have a few complicated-sounding features and components.  Before you start to shop for a copier, familiarize yourself with some of the common industry jargon.  Make sure you know what the most common acronyms stand for. The more you know when speaking to a salesperson, the better deal you’re likely to get. 

Here are some terms to know that relate to copy machine technology.

Automatic Document Feeder (ADF): A feature where a whole document can be copied without individually copying each page.  A document is placed in a tray, and each page is “fed” into a printer copier machine.  DADF (the “D” is for “duplexing”) is a similar feature where two-sided documents can be read and copied automatically.

Average Monthly Copy Volume (AMCV): Also “Average Monthly Print Volume” (AMPV), this term describes the use estimate of a machine, as determined by how many copies or documents are printed monthly.  Most vendors will calculate costs based on this estimate.

Business Color:  The class of color printing where colors are not printed exactly as they appear in a document creation program. This method is less expensive than more sophisticated printing methods.

Buy-Out: The amount needed to purchase copy equipment once a lease is over.

Clicks: Pages printed per month.  Most machines have meters that compute the actual number of pages printed, just like an odometer on a car.

CMYK: Stands for Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black (the “K” is for black), a basic color printing process.

Copies-per-minute (CPM): How quickly a machine can produce copies.

Cost-per-copy (CPC) program: A common method of billing where a business is charged “per copy” on one monthly bill for supplies, service, and hardware.  Hardware can be leased or financed in a CPC program so the costs are distributed over the use of the machine.

Dots-per-inch (DPI): A printing term that describes the density of colors on a printed page.  The higher the number, the higher the quality of prints.

Duty Cycle: The amount of output (in “clicks” or pages) a copier is capable of, measured in units printed.  This number determines the life span of a device.

Electronic Document Management (EDM): A system where all documents are managed electronically. An all in one printer copier can be to a network, where employees can scan documents for electronic storage or save them for future printing if needed.

Finishing Options: Features like stapling and folding that can be performed by a copier.

Large Capacity Tray (LCT): A tray that holds several reams of paper for larger print jobs.

Multi-function Device (MFD) or Multi-function Product (MFP): A machine that can perform copying, printing, and scanning functions.

RGB: Red-Green-Blue, a common color printing process that produces higher-density colors than a CMYK process.

Scanner: A feature that allows documents to be scanned using a copier and stored on a computer.

TCO: Total Cost of Ownership, this estimate includes the total equipment and service costs when purchasing a copier. 

 
<<Previous | Next >>

Pages: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8,