03 Mar From printing press to instant communications how the photocopier has evolved
Before the advent of photocopying, people had to rely on the use of carbon paper and hand sketching. Unfortunately, this was a rather tedious, exasperating process which left many hands aching. Chester Carlson’s Electrophotography or ‘Dry Writing’ invention was revolutionary, and ultimately changed the landscape of business. His invention was the box that everyone doesn’t know they rely on until it breaks down!” The Photocopier”.
Here are 5 fun facts about that innocuous device in the corner of your office;
1, Sitting is bad for you
You might end up the butt of the joke for rear exposure. Some stats state that over 20% of copiers worldwide have had a service call placed because someone decided to photocopy their rear! Sitting on the copier can not only potentially break the glass but also the copier casing. To avoid the embarrassing call to your help team, stay well away from the copier at the Christmas party.
2, Fire Drill
The first versions of the Xerox (literally meaning ‘dry writing’) tended to overheat and burst into flames after extensive use. In the early years the Xerox company had to give a free fire extinguisher with each machine purchase.
3, Don’t forget to wipe
Todays Multifunctional devices scan original documents into the machine’s memory and print them. If you consider the amount of very sensitive information that goes through an office on a daily basis, data loss could be a very real problem. A recent survey suggested that a startling 60% of machines will have information on them left over from the previous owner. Some data found was trivial but there have been instances where the data held on the machine was of an important, sensitive and personal nature. Always ensure you have a data security kit on board that encrypts data and wipe all machines when they are obsolete to your business.
4, Colour copiers and puppies
What’s the connection? Well, the Haloid Corporation who promoted the ‘dry writing’ product sent 7 colour copiers in the late 1950’s to Disney. These Xerox copiers were then used in the production of the film 101 dalmatians. Haloid was subsequently renamed Xerox after its best-selling product.
5, It isn’t ink
Photocopiers use toner, which is a mix of plastic granules, pigment, rust and wax. The granules accept a photostatic charge and are attracted to a photosensitive drum. This drum then transfers the images to the paper. The toner is then sealed to the paper using a heat process. Ink, on the other hand, is placed on the paper through the use of tiny jets which push the liquid in a series of pulses.
