A printer’s maintenance procedures are required because they are complex electromechanical devices. As with any other sophisticated equipment, the expected lifetime depends on the care and quality of the services you perform on them. With many moving parts and electronic components, failing to conduct a regular printer service can lead to you ending up with catastrophic failures. Some parts of a printer can be too expensive or complex to replace, requiring you to substitute the entire machine. Printing Maintenance Services Can Help Increase the Life of the Printer The specific type of printer service or maintenance that’s required depends on the type of unit and its current age. Manufacturers provide detailed maintenance procedures (required at regular intervals) ensuring the product continually perform as expected. Failing to do so can void warranties, cause breakdowns, and increase the amount of downtime exponentially. In-house technicians can carry out these procedures, but with the complex technology currently included in modern machines, they will probably require specialist training from suppliers or manufacturers. The Main Causes of Failures for Modern Printers and Copiers The Dreaded Paper Jam Paper moves through the printer by way of mechanical rollers and grips. Slight changes in the alignment and balance of this equipment will alter the course of the paper. A small bump on a roller or a coupling that vibrates could mean the paper no longer exits along the desired path. Adding more “paths” to the unit to cater for different paper sizes or medium types increases the opportunities for failure drastically. Regularly servicing on the unit will ensure you face fewer jams. Head Leaks and Blockages Ink builds up on the heads of inkjet printers. They create streaky prints or complete gaps in the output. Once again, cleaning them regularly (also using the built-in head cleaner functions) will prevent this from happening. Mechanical Failure due to Dust Build Up Dust is the enemy of most mechanical and electrical devices. As it builds up on the components, it can either create a misalignment of the rollers, or small short circuits on the electronic circuit boards. In both cases, simply keeping the unit clear of dust will save a lot of time doing unnecessary troubleshooting. Driver or Software Failures With software upgrades to the rest of the IT infrastructure, drivers can become incompatible with the units. As the OS drives the printing and scanning tasks, driver compatibility remains an important check regularly required. Additionally, with the newer printing units currently on the market, there are opportunities for malware or viruses that can infect the entire office network. Manufacturers will improve their device security that includes backward compatibility with older machines. Updates to the machine software are patched as and when they become available. Making sure you are running the latest software for your device doesn’t just ensure it works optimally, it also ensures the device is clean from viruses and safe to use by anyone in the office.
