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Photocopier facts

How Does A Photocopier Actually Work?

Most of us have used a photocopier at some point or another in our work or school life. You take the page you want to copy, place it face down on the glass screen, close the lid, and hey presto, you have a perfect copy of the page you want. But have you ever wondered how the photocopier actually works? After all, it seems to be something we all take for granted and without giving much thought to its process.

Delve Inside The Photocopier

Deep inside the photocopier unit, there is a specially designed drum. This drum is charged with static electricity (much in the same way that a balloon can be charged up by rubbing on your hair). Now, once the drum is statically charged, it is able to attract the particles contained in the toner that adds the ink effect to the page.

So, How Does That Make Perfect Copies?

There are three steps that are performed to create a mirror image of the thing you are wanting to copy. Firstly, the drum is able to be selectively charged, meaning that it can charge only on the sections that mirror the image or text being copied.
The toner then becomes attracted to the statically charged areas of the drum. This allows the basis of the copy to be put in place. Lastly, as the drum creates heat, the toner can be discharged to the paper and leave a perfect copy of the original document scanned.

Photocopier Fun Facts

The most commonly photocopied body parts are the hands, the side of the face, and rear. In 2015, 7 people suffered from a photocopier injury ranging from electric shock to becoming caught in a part of the machine.

Most people assume that toner is ink. In fact, the toner is a mixture of plastic particles, rust, and wax. Of course, if it looks like ink and works like ink, it is fine to call it ink. But beware, as tech buffs are waiting in every office to let you know about your error.

The fastest photocopying machine in the world is the Riso Orphis X 9050, which can print up to 150 pages per minute. That is over 2 pages per second. The average photocopy speed is a mere 15 pages per minute.

So, now you know how a photocopier works, what its processes are, and some fun facts to share with your colleagues.