How many times have you heard employees complain about the office copier? If it’s becoming the source of frustration in your workplace, it’s time to pay serious attention to it. You may think it’s a minor issue, but an inefficient copier can affect your staff productivity. Sudden and constant copier repairs can also cause unnecessary costs to your company.
Problem 1: Paper Jam
Paper jam creates a standstill, causing your employees to miss meetings and deadlines. It happens when someone improperly loads paper into the machine. The copier pulls the paper in the wrong direction, keeping it stuck inside the machine. Dust that clogs the copier and paper that’s too thin or moist are also possible culprits.
To resolve this issue, you have to remove the jammed paper manually. Then, reload using the correct paper type. Realign the paper in the tray to make sure it’s facing the right direction. Also, make sure to keep the copier dust-free. Instruct your maintenance staff to wipe the feeding tires regularly and vacuum the inside of the machine to rid any dust.
Problem 2: Wrinkled Pages
There’s nothing professional about documents that come out of the copier wrinkled. It might sound like a trivial issue, but you don’t want your employees to show up for a sales pitch or a trade show with creased brochures or contracts. Wrinkled pages are often due to worn-out feeds and exit rollers. Paper with too much moisture may also cause this annoying issue.
One solution for this is to stop using old or moist paper. Instead, invest in better paper and other copier consumables. You can also replace paper trays if they start looking worn out. If the issue seems to be because of the exit rollers or feeds, let a pro fix or replace the parts.
Problem 3: Cartridge or Toner Problems
Is your staff diligent in replacing low or empty toner cartridges but still having issues? There are two potential causes. The first one is a manufacturer error. If that’s the case, bring a copy of the poor-quality prints to your supplier and request a cartridge replacement. Incompatibility issues are another possible cause. Make sure you’re using toners and cartridges compatible with your photocopiers. Otherwise, the print quality will always suffer.
Problem 4: Spots, Streaks and Lines
Spots, streaks and lines on copies make office documents look unprofessional. These issues often occur due to dirt and other foreign substances on the machine’s scanning glass. The first thing you should do to fix this is gently wiping the scanning glass or copy mirror.
Do you still see consistent streaks and lines on the paper after cleaning the scanning glass? That indicates a more serious issue. There could be a problem with the fusers. If you’re using a multi-function copier, the root of the problem can be a drum-blade malfunction. It’s best to call for copier repair technicians as it may be necessary to replace crucial parts.
Problem 5: Discoloured Prints
Distributing clear, vibrant printed documents in a meeting can tell a lot about your company. Such small details can help your brand make a great first impression on clients and partners. So if you hear any complaint about discoloured prints, it pays to fix the issue right away.
Usually, copies that are too light or too dark are due to imbalanced density controls. An employee may have accidentally adjusted the density controls. It’s also possible that the toner is expiring or the drum is malfunctioning. Toner that’s about to expire tends to make images overly light, while a broken drum can affect how the toner rolls onto the pages.
To troubleshoot discoloured prints, check and reset the density controls of your copier. If the problem persists after correcting the settings, inspect the toner and replace it if necessary. If the drum seems the problem, get in touch with a copier technician right away.
