We are used to the fact that a large amount of necessary technology clutters our desktops. Wouldn't it be better to get one MFP for your office to get rid of this chaos and clutter? And the purchase of a multifunctional device will save the company's budget, which is also important. This unit will print, scan, make a copy and even send a fax to the client, that is, it will solve several work tasks at once.
An MFP is a technique that simultaneously performs the functions of several devices: a printer, a copier, a scanner and a fax. Modern multifunctional devices fit well into the interior of even the smallest office. How to choose an MFP for your office so that you will not be disappointed in the purchase later? The answer to this question will help to find knowledge of the varieties of this technique, as well as the features of each of them.
Depending on the type of printing, the mfp is divided into:
- laser - filled with a special powder (toner), have electrographic printing technology, are characterized by excellent print quality;
- inkjet - they are considered the most popular because of their affordable price, they work with ink, they outperform laser ones in terms of the quality of color images, while losing out in black and white printing;
- solid ink - have a relatively simple design, print with solid ink, at almost the same cost, the print quality is higher than that of laser;
- sublimation - highly specialized devices used only for printing photographs.
Many people today consider fax irrelevant, for others it is still a reliable assistant in their work. The image resolution and memory capacity (at the same speed) of laser fax is larger than inkjet.
The uniqueness of the scanner in giving any image a digital form. This process takes place thanks to a CCD matrix or a CIS contact sensor. The second option has a less complex design and higher speed, uses less electricity, and is cheaper. Scanners can be flatbed and broaching. The latter work with documents exceeding f. A4. At a minimum, an office device should be able to send information via email.
Copier is a monochrome or color device designed to produce the required number of copies. Documents are printed in whole runs, if necessary, they change the scale (reduce or enlarge the original), combine images, combining them into one. Today there are devices that copy simultaneously from both sides. Each copier has a permissible load, therefore, in order to avoid overheating, exceeding this indicator is undesirable. Interestingly, not all high-speed copiers can boast of great performance.
Inkjet MFPs work with two types of ink:
- Pigmented - do not saturate the paper through and through, which allows for double-sided printing, behave resistant to high humidity, light and air, the images are very durable, clear, saturated. The cost of such ink is rather big; it does not react well to low-quality cheap paper.
- Water-soluble - are inexpensive, work with any paper. The color of the print depends on the characteristics of the paper and tends to fade. Due to the strong impregnation, this ink does not perform double-sided printing.
Printer cartridges are separate and combined. The first option is cheaper, since the matrix is a part of the device. The second has a built-in print head, a larger resource, therefore, is more expensive. This cartridge is unusable if even one color of ink is missing.
Today it is possible to reduce the cost of printing using a continuous ink supply system. The ink level is visible to the naked eye, donor containers do not need to be refilled frequently, there is no need to remove the cartridge to zero the chip. Connecting CISS requires additional space on the table.
Electrographic printing technology is at the heart of laser and LED devices. This printer does not like to work with crowded and glossy paper due to poor toner adhesion. In addition, the device becomes dirty more quickly and breaks down. Laser MFPs have the maximum number of pages you can print per month. It is important to know that these devices take time to warm up, that is, the first page comes out after some time.
The main advantages of the MFP:
- saving work space;
- the price is lower than the total cost of separately purchased equipment;
- convenience and ease of use;
- ease of maintenance;
- availability of automatic paper feed;
- the possibility of double-sided printing;
- reduction of time when working with documents, since one device is used;
- copying can be carried out without turning on a personal computer.
Flaws:
- constant monitoring of the condition of consumables is required;
- failure of one of the elements (copier, printer or scanner) disables the entire apparatus.
Choosing the right model
Since it will soon be impossible to get rid of paperwork, any company is trying to acquire high-quality, reliable equipment. Which MFP is better to buy for the office, what points should you pay special attention to?
A few tips for choosing a technique.
- Estimated load calculation includes speed and print volume. In order to avoid frequent breakdowns, it is recommended to take into account not the maximum, but the average values set by the manufacturer. For example, for offices with the number of employees from 5 to 25, a device with a resource of fifty or more thousand pages is suitable, over 25 people - one hundred thousand sheets.
- Printing feature (do you need duplex, printing on rolls, films, posters, work with large formats).
- Inkjet mfp or laser. The first option is more suitable for color printing. Monochrome laser devices are the best MFPs for offices that primarily print text files.
- Features of the resulting image. Any modern model guarantees high-quality printing and scanning of text documents today. To get color images, it is recommended to buy a high resolution multifunction printer with a large number of colors.
- The size of the equipment depends on the area of the office.
- Large capacity of trays, impressive RAM will greatly facilitate the work.
- The operating system must be compatible with the one installed on the computer.
- Taking into account the communication capabilities of the office, the presence of a USB port, the ability to connect to Wi-Fi.
Top Models
Colored
- Device type: multifunction printer (printer, scanner, copier)
- Scope of application: for small office
- Printing type: four-color laser
- Print speed: up to 21 pages per minute
- Print format: A4 (210 x 297 mm)
- Print size: 216 x 356 mm
- Control: color LCD
- Memory capacity: 256 MB
- Processor frequency: 800 MHz
- Profiles: Wi-Fi, Ethernet
- Maximum resolution for b / w printing: 600 × 600 dpi
- Maximum resolution for color printing: 600 × 600 dpi
- Modern wireless interface
- Good print and scan speed
- Small size
- Not found
A versatile printer with high quality color printing. Has the best first page out time in its class. The features of the model are dynamic safety and convenient control of functions. You no longer need to read the instructions for a long time, trying to understand the capabilities of the device. A couple of clicks and your documents are scanned and printed.
- Paper size: A4
- Printing technology: inkjet, color
- Max. Resolution: 4800 x 1200 dpi
- B / W printing: 13 ppm
- Color printing: 9 ppm
- Photo: 39 sec / page / 10x15cm borderless
- Resource b / w cartridge: 1800 pages
- Yield of the color cartridge: 350 pages
- Number of cartridges: 5
- Direct print: yes
- Input tray capacity: 100 pages
- Paper weight (min): 64 g / m2
- Paper weight (max): 300 g / m2
- Scanner type: flatbed
- Scanning resolution: 1200x2400 dpi
- Scanner color depth: 48 bit
- Supports borderless printing
- Easy to refuel
- Compact dimensions
- Sometimes leaves a mark from the head in photographs
Budget printer with economical use of ink. Has a high print speed - 5 seconds for a normal page and about 60 seconds for a photo in high resolution. Supports work with any flash drives. Ideal for personal and professional use. The basic configuration includes 5 full cartridges.
- Printing method: piezoelectric inkjet
- Resolution: 5760 x 1440 dpi
- Max. print speed color: 15 ppm
- Max. print speed b / w: 33 ppm
- Max. format of print media: A4
- Media weights: 64 - 255 gsm gsm
- Receiving tray capacity: 30 sheets
- Scanner type: flatbed
- Maximum scanner resolution: 1200 x 2400 dpi
- Maximum original size: A4
- Maximum scan size: 216 × 297 mm
- Maximum copier resolution: 1200 x 2400 dpi dpi
- Multiple copying: 99 copies per cycle
- Easy to customize
- Can be printed over the air
- Low noise level
- Economical paint consumption
- Sometimes colors are not rendered correctly
Multifunctional continuous inkjet printer. It is considered one of the most affordable solutions among office models. At standard resolution, the device can produce up to 15 color pages per minute.
B-B
- Automatic document feeder: yes
- Double-sided printing: yes
- Processor memory size: 128MB
- Paper weight: 60-163 g / m2
- Information display: LCD panel
- Power consumption (during operation): 1120 W
- Power consumption (standby): 4.2W
- Noise level at work: 66 dB
- Interface: USB
- Maximum page format: A4
- Printing technology: laser
