Manufacturers will tell you that their office copier will operate without technical problems because they’ve employed intricate technology. But you’ll have a different experience because all copiers fail from time to time. However, most of the glitches that occur are easily fixable with a little guidance. Here, we review the common problems you’re likely to encounter when using an office copier and their fixes.
Resolving Office Copier Common Glitches
Because a copier has several moving parts, continued use can lead to wear and tear that causes it to act up. Also, improper use of the copier and lack of maintenance can cause it to malfunction. Here are six possible problems you might experience when using your office copier and how to resolve them.
Creased or Crumpled Pages
Creased copies aren’t only unsightly, but they are unprofessional and can taint your business image. Usually, when your copier produces wrinkled papers, there is a worn-out component. Some of the parts that can cause this problem when worn out include:
- Feed roller: These are responsible for pulling papers into the machine. When worn out, they lose their grip on papers, leading to uneven feeding.
- Exit rollers: The purpose of exit rollers is to guide the papers as they leave the copier. If worn out or damaged, they can’t provide enough support to the documents, causing them to fold.
- Paper trays: These hold the papers to feed them smoothly into the copier. When damaged or worn out, they cause paper folding issues.
When any of these parts are no longer functioning as expected, the solution is to replace them. Also, your copies can get wrinkles if your machine has a lot of moisture. You should operate the copier at the recommended temperature and humidity to prevent this.
Too Dark or Faded Copies
Sometimes, your copier might produce copies too light or dark to read. When this happens, you should first check whether your copier’s density controls are set at the recommended level. If the settings are off-limit, they can affect the copies’ outlook because they’re responsible for adjusting the toner’s intensity or ink applied to the paper. To resolve the issue, you should use the copier’s manual to reset the settings to the required level.
Secondly, your documents can be too dark or faded if the drum is damaged or depreciated. This causes inconsistent toner distribution. You should invite a technician to assess your copier’s drum condition. If they confirm it’s damaged, replacing it should resolve the issue.
Finally, you should assess the toner condition. If it has exceeded its shelf life, it can produce faded copies. You can resolve the issue by replacing the toner cartridges.
Array of Dots on the Paper
If your copier makes perfect copies but adds dots, the document quality deteriorates and might become unusable depending on the extent.
Dots will appear on your copy if debris and smudges have accumulated on the mirror glass. This obstructs the light path, affecting the mirror’s reflection of the original document on the photoreceptor. In this case, you should clean the mirror to get rid of the accumulated dirt.
To effectively clean the mirror glass, open the lid that covers it beneath the document feeder. Spray glass cleaner on a lint-free cloth and gently wipe the mirror glass consistently in an even motion. Give the mirror glass time to air dry and make a test copy to verify whether the spots have disappeared.
Grinding or Clicking Noises When the Copier Is Operating
When your office copier operates with grinding noises, that’s a signal of an underlying issue in the internal parts. One cause of such noises is misaligned or worn-out gear that moves to facilitate paper transport. The copier can also make noises if the fuse has damaged units such as bearings and rollers. You should monitor where the noise is coming from and replace any damaged parts.
If you have replaced the cartilage recently, the copier might make noise because of incompatibility issues. Apart from making noise, an incompatible cartilage can cause damage to your copier, and you should remove it.
When buying another, look for one verified by your copier’s manufacturer and the one designed for your copier’s model. If you have a hard time getting a compatible cartilage, you should contact the manufacturer for guidance.
Incorrect Ink Error Warnings
It can get pretty annoying when your copier keeps giving notifications that you have low ink and you’ve just replaced the cartilage. When this happens, your copier can’t copy or print anything. You can try resolving this problem using any of the following methods:
- Remove the cartilage and reinstall it again
- Ensure you’ve unpeeled the protective tape that seals the cartilage
- Check whether your copier allows you to override low ink warnings from the settings
- Update your copier’s software and restart
Copier Working Slowly
A slow copier can lead to time wastage and lower the productivity of your employees as they wait in the queue. A copier can become slow because of several factors. One is printing complex jobs, and the copier has low memory. For improved performance, you should upgrade the copier’s memory.
Secondly, your copier can become slow if there’s network congestion because of multiple people sending print jobs simultaneously. You can improve speed by managing network traffic. Finally, if you operate your copier continuously, it’ll get hot and become slow. You should give it time to cool and upgrade to a copier with a higher-duty cycle.
Tips for Maintaining an Office Copier
If you want to avoid running into common problems when using an office copier, maintaining it is essential. Here are helpful maintenance tips to consider:
- Regularly clean the interior and exterior of your copier with a lint-free cloth and recommended solutions such as 70-99.9% Isopropyl alcohol.
- Always go for high-quality paper, toner, and ink cartridges compatible with your copier.
- Use the manual to adjust the settings to your specific needs.
- Schedule routine maintenance by a technician whether your copier is in good condition or not.
- If you’re sharing your copier, offer training to other users to avoid mishandling.
Fix Copier Issues
Inevitably, office copiers run into technical glitches that can disrupt your workflow. Knowing how to fix them can help you reduce downtimes. However, if your copier keeps malfunctioning even after fixing it and replacing some parts, it means it’s on its last legs, and you need a new one.
If you’re in San Francisco and are looking for a new office copier, Golden Gate Office Solutions is the place to look. We stock all types of brands to ensure we meet different client preferences. Contact us today, and we’ll provide guidance.
