Introduced in 1949, the photocopier has evolved to become one of the most important equipment in the workplace and in most offices. The photocopier (copier) offers businesses a method of duplicating texts and graphics in the cheapest and fastest way.
Throughout the years, technology has improved and replaced the analog and obsolete process of duplicating. Photocopying has taken a digital form and is now capable of reproducing documents in full color. However, nothing has changed dramatically in the reproduction process but the devices are today built more durable, for higher resolution printing, much faster, more efficient, and more pleasing in their design.
Today, photocopiers have multiple functions, features and evolved to to copiers and mulitfunctional devices that can be connected to many other electronic devices, which makes them an indispensable devices for departments and groups in large offices but also in small offices and home-offices.
Technology:
Electrophotography (xerography) – It was Chester Carlson in 1938 who developed this process of duplicating technology. The process is called electrophotography (xerography). This technique is also known as “dry photocopying.” It refers to the use of photocontuctive materials that become electric conductors when exposed to light. This technology is also used in laserprinters, multifunctionals (MFPs/MFDs) and digital presses. Electrogrography is a 6-step process that involves 1.Charging 2.Exposure 3.Development 4.Transfer 5.Fusing and 6.Cleaning. Today, copiers using xerography are fully capable of using CMYK colors, producing outputs that are of highest quality and stability.
Electrostatic Copying – Another technique used by copy machines is electrostatic copying. The process is almost the same with Xerography; the only difference is the material used. In electrostatic copying, the paper is specifically treated so it is able to pick up the toner in the course of copying.
The paper is made of Zinc Oxide combined with a thermoplastic resin. Zinc Oxide in paper reacts to the negative charges which results in toner sticking onto its surface. The rest of the process of Xerography applies. One of the reasons this process is not popular anymore is due to its use of a special type of paper that is pricier and likewise comes with a surface that is a little different from the ordinary paper supplies.
Mechanism:
As mentioned, photocopying Xerography technique is a 6-step process. Here’s how it works:
- Charging – Inside a photocopier is a photoreceptor. It is light sensitive and made of a thin photoconductive material that covers a drum or belt. The photoreceptor becomes an electric conductor when exposed to light. It is charged by a high voltage wire or corona wire found parallel to the drum’s surface.
- Exposure – Light is an important element in charging the photoreceptor. In analog photocopiers, light is reflected from an illuminated image and onto the photoreceptor. However, digital photocopiers operate with a scanning modulated laser or a light-emitting-diode image bar that illuminates the image to the photoreceptor.
- Developing – Toner powder is used to develop images. It is commonly made of colorant and plastic resin mixed with iron and magnetized carrier beads in the drum. Toner particles create controlled electrostatic charges which allow the carrier beads to attract them on the belt and form the reflected image on the drum. Toner transfer is controlled by means of controlling toner adhesion using bias voltage. The negative electrostatic potential pulls the toner away from the image and draws them in the dark or uncharged area of the development zone.
- Transferring – After the toner particles form a latent image on the photoreceptor; the paper then is exposed to the toner. A controlled but much higher electric charges from a second corona wire make toner reduce adhesion and allow transfer from the photoreceptor to paper.
- Fusing — The transferring and imprinting of images is finalized by means of heat and pressure. The toner particles are melted and thereafter bonds permanently on the paper with the aid of rollers.
- Cleaning – Here, the residual toner powder pulled away during the developing process is removed on the drum’s surface with a rotating brush or cleaning blade. This prepares the photoreceptor drum for the next print cycle.
Evolution:
Xerox Company released the first commercial photocopier in 1948. It was called the Xerox machine which in time became a trademark of photocopying. In the 1950s, Electrofax was released by the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). It uses a special type of paper to attract toner directly onto paper to form the image. This technology was popular with copiers during its launch until the 1980s. The process was a lot cheaper than xerography; however, it was the cost of the special paper that made it an expensive machine to use.
It was in 1973 that Canon launched the first electrostatic color photocopier. Nowadays, photocopiers come with innovative features that make it convenient, energy-efficient and multifunctional.
Modern day photocopiers are designed either for stand-alone use while others have integrated fax, printer and scanner functions. Monthly cycles also differ to support low to high-volume production . The latest model feature integrated capabilities that allow users to reduce, enlarge and collate documents, as well as handle pagination, two-sided copying and even editing.
Toner for copiers/mulifuctional devices (MFD)
Copiers and multifunctional devices use toner powder just like laser printers. In the early years, they were made of carbon, iron oxide and sugar mixture. Nowadays, carbon is mixed with polymer, pigments and various additives to improve its quality. The toner quality differs from manufacturer to manufacturer and depends also on the design of the machines. Each toner powder made has a different melting point, toner particles, size and shape and well as different electrical properties that are required to work in the machines they are made for.
Older photocopier models used to have toner reservoirs in the machines. This however has turned out to be unpractical and toner-cartridges were introduced to hold individual toner colors (CMYK) which allowed a more secure, easy and mess-free replacement of ther toner-cartridges when they are empy.
While the quality of original toner cartridges is standardized by the OEM for each brand and toner-type . The quality of compatible toner produced by different independent toner manufacturers even for the same machine are very different and in many cases not compatible with each other – means that copy-quality problems can occure when compatible toner from different compatible toner manfuacturers are mixed in the same machine.
To develop, produce and supply Premium quality compatible toner – means toner of OEM equivalent quality and consisteny is therefore a very challenging task that only very few manufacturers of compatible toner are able to fulfill continously. Apart from the manufacturer’s philosophy, experience, R&D and Process-Know-how as well as technical capabiiities (testing, quality-control) the quality of the used raw-materials is very important.
Since the photocopier was invented and commercially introduced in the USA the technology driving and continously innnovating OEMs in that field are US and Japanese companies mainly that have accumulated over decades a vast experience and leading role in printing- and office-automation technology. As these companies typically engineered and manufactured not only the machines but also the toner and other major components by themselves it is no surprise that also the best quality compatible toner are engineered and made in Japan and the USA mainly.
Being focussed and dedicated to offer our distributors only Premium-compatible toner (toner of very high and consistent quality) the vast majority of our toner are engineered and /or made in Japan and the USA. Together with our manufacturing partner we therefore guarantee and stand behind the quality and performance of our copier toner that we are supporting with local warehouses and a personal and professional service.