| Multifunction Printers | | | | multifunction printer that can use two types of |
| Computer technology is constantly improving on itself, | | | | scanning technologies. A charge-coupled device (CCD) |
| yet one area that seem appears to receive little | | | | uses a light-sensitive integrated circuit that stores and |
| attention is printer technology. Many home businesses | | | | displays the data for an image in such a way that |
| not only require printing functions but scanning, copying | | | | each picture element, or dot, in the image is converted |
| and faxing as well. Frequently, each of these devices | | | | into an electrical charge. Contact Image Sensors (CIS), |
| is set-up as a separate piece of equipment, requiring | | | | used more with flatbed scanners, place the image |
| not only significant investment of money but of office | | | | sensor in near direct contact with the object to be |
| space as well. One of the newer creations in the field | | | | scanned in contrast to using mirrors to bounce light to |
| is the multifunction printer, with the ability to print, scan | | | | a stationary sensor, as is the case in conventional |
| and fax. With a multifunction printer one electronic | | | | CCD scanners. A CIS typically consists of a linear |
| piece of equipment completes all these jobs and takes | | | | array of detectors, covered by a focusing lens with |
| up much less space as well as costing much less | | | | LEDs that allow the CIS to be highly power efficient, |
| money than the combination of all devices purchased | | | | with many scanners being powered through the |
| separately. | | | | minimal line voltage supplied via a USB connection. CIS |
| | | | devices typically produce lower image quality |
| The first feature that needs to be taken into | | | | compared to CCD devices but make the printer more |
| consideration is the type of printer: multi-function | | | | durable. Another feature of scanning is how the |
| printers can be inkjet, laserjet, or color laserjet. Inkjet | | | | documents are scanned; they can be fed in a sheet at |
| printers operate by forcing variably-sized droplets of | | | | a time, in which case an automatic document feeder |
| ink onto a piece of paper or similar medium. A laser | | | | that holds at least 50 sheets facilitates use, or they |
| printer produces text and graphics on plain paper, using | | | | can be scanned over a flat-bed. The flat-bed ones |
| the same technology as digital photocopiers; they | | | | allow scanning of thicker objects. |
| employ a xerographic printing process but differ from | | | | The faxing function is properly the one that may be |
| analog photocopiers in that the image is produced by | | | | the most simplistic. A minimum fax/modem speed |
| the direct scanning of a laser beam across the | | | | should be 33 Kbps. Other fax features that might be |
| printer's photoreceptor. | | | | offered are color faxing, fax broadcasting, and/or |
| The speed of a laser printer or inkjet printer is | | | | group dialing, as many multifunction printers do not |
| measured by the ppm (pages per minute), the number | | | | offer full fax functions. |
| of pages a laser or inkjet printer can produce in one | | | | Finally, given all the functions a multifunction printer |
| minute. Print speeds of laser or inkjet printers may | | | | requires to carry out, a lack of internal memory is |
| vary depending on many factors such as the | | | | extremely noticeable. While 8 MB of memory may be |
| complexity of the document, page coverage, and the | | | | adequate for home office or small office use, an |
| design of the printer itself. Generally, as the speed | | | | efficient and effective multifunction printer that have at |
| increases, the quality of the output decreases. A | | | | least 16 MB of memory or more. The greater the |
| typical inkjet printer may print at speeds that vary | | | | amount of memory, the faster that certain multifunction |
| between 1 to 28 pages per minute for black text and 1 | | | | printer processes can be carried out. |
| to 20 pages per minute for color, photographs or | | | | Rugged Mobile Printers |
| graphics. The speed of a mid-range monochrome | | | | Rugged mobile printers are built rugged laptops. Being |
| laser printer may vary between 6 to 25 pages per | | | | mobile, they can pretty much fit in your pocket or |
| minute for sharp black texts and 2 to 20 pages per | | | | glove compartment. Rugged mobile printers can be |
| minute for black and white graphics. The print speed of | | | | mounted in vehicles next to your rugged notebook or |
| a typical color laser printer's will vary between 6 to 20 | | | | some are mounted directly to a rugged computing |
| pages per minute for black text and 1 to 12 pages per | | | | device. A rugged printer is made to take a beating and |
| minute for color graphics. Image quality is another | | | | most can withstand drops from nearly 10 feet. The |
| feature to examine and depends on the number dots | | | | rugged mobile printer is geared around the MIL-STD |
| per inch printed. The standard resolution of 600 x 600 | | | | 810F test confirming its ruggedness and ability to |
| dots per inch is sufficient for most everyday printing | | | | handle the daily rigors of everyday use. From 2.5" to 4" |
| but is unsuitable for printing quality photographs or | | | | receipt printers, to full sheet 8" x 11" size printers. A |
| graphics. The more dots printed per inch, the higher the | | | | rugged printer will handle any job while on the road |
| image quality. | | | | printing inventory receipts or printing law enforcement |
| The scanner function is also of great importance in a | | | | issued citations. |
