A Copier Invasion?

These days, copiers are in virtually every in-plant. Find out how in-plant managers are using them, the problems they're facing and the features they want.

Are copiers taking over in-plants? The answer varies depending on who you talk to. But no one can deny that convenience copiers are a convenience for more than the end user—and that color copiers are a boon for short-run printing jobs.

While copiers are proliferating in in-plants, features are proliferating on copiers. Customers are demanding such features as sorting/stapling, collating and even three-hole punching—and the latest generation of copiers is delivering. New designs reduce paper jams by using a straight paper path instead of bending the paper around rollers. Helpful touch screens reduce service calls.

With all these features, what else can be added? When asked what features he'd like to see on copiers, Steve Chant, who oversees five print-shop copiers and three walk-ups at University of Vermont Graphics and Printing, answers, "Lower prices. They already come with pretty much everything you need. On the DocuTech, though, I'd like to see more features for improving the copy submitted by the customer. Xerox has the software to easily clean up spots and straighten the image, but they don't include it with the DocuTech."

On the wish list of Keith Lee, Chief of Printing at the Department of the Treasury, in Washington, are light sensors that automatically power down copiers when they're not in use, to save energy on his four in-plant copiers and 85 convenience copiers.

"As soon as someone walks into the room, the copier fires up," says Lee. "That would be a nice feature."

With an abundance of features usually comes an abundance of problems, because more gadgets means more opportunities for things to break down. But this isn't the case with the new generation of copiers, managers say.