How Do You Maintain A Copy Machine?

One of the most useful — and most expensive — parts of equipment you could buy for your office is a photocopier. The larger, more professional versions can run thousands of dollars, and repair and maintenance can also be costly. To avoid unnecessary calls to the repair service department of your manufacturer, you can follow some simple maintenance techniques to keep your copier clean and working, save some money to your business and save some headaches.

• Read the instruction manual

While there are a lot of great general tips for photocopier maintenance, there may be special tasks for each individual model or specific modes of operation. By reading the manual, you will know how to operate it properly to avoid any breaks in service or jams. It will also ensure that you know the recommended manufacturer’s methods for any necessary maintenance.

• Clean up the glass

One area that needs regular maintenance on all copiers is the photocopier glass that you put on a copy of the documents. This glass soon builds up with a high level of dust and grime and should be cleaned at least once a day. If you don’t, you’ll begin to see fracturing or streaking on your copies. Invest in some proper photocopier glass cleaner and wipe the copying glass with it every day.

• Remove dust from inside

It is also an issue if the inner components of your photocopier are still too dirty, in addition to corrosion on the glass. Get a dry tissue that is soft in order to preserve these parts and send a gentle dust over the interior of your copier. It will remove any irritating waste that can lead to delays or bad copies. Compressed air should also be found in areas that are difficult to access.

• Don’t forget the head of the ink cartridge

Although the inner sections of your photocopier are usually held, take the time to look after your ink cartridge cap. Yet again, the problems of dust and dust here can affect, if not maintained, the quality of your copies. Use a moist cotton cotton pad to remove any waste from this section of your system.

• Maintain the rollers of paper

Anyone who has used a photocopier will have spent some time unloading a machine after this has happened. The root cause of the paper jam is the dust on the paper rollers, which stops the paper moving as it should. To keep your copier so it doesn’t happen, simply wipe the paper rollers with a lint free cloth on a regular basis.

• Use the right paper and parts

A very common cause of problems with photocopiers is that the wrong parts or paper are used in the machine. This leads to a copier not working to its full capacity or not working at all! For example, only a certain weight or thickness of paper can be handled by your copier. If you put something too heavy or too thick in, it’s going to jam. Always use the correct parts for your individual copier to help with the maintenance of your photocopier.

• Clean the Drum

The drum in your photocopier is an essential part that transfers the toner to the paper to make copies of your copies. Over time, it can get clogged with a toner, but it needs careful maintenance. There’s a special tool called the Mylar bar to do this, which is easy enough to find online. Simply use the Mylar bar to gently scrape off any excess toner on the drum and return it to peak condition.

• Give the fuser a once-over

The fuser is another key part of your copier that actually sticks the printed toner to the paper. It may be the cause of a lot of photocopier breakdowns, although it’s worth taking care of. Just apply some silicone oil to a damp cloth to keep it well. Once ready, give your fuser unit a wipe to help remove any excess toner or debris.

• It’s wise to look after your photocopier

There is no doubt that taking the time to perform photocopier maintenance is a good overall move. Not only will it help keep it running at peak performance, it will also save you time at work from having to repair any jams.