How do photocopiers and printers work?

Discover the most frequently asked Copiers and printers questions

How long is the lifespan of an office copier or printer?

To assess the lifespan of a printer or photocopier, it is important to take into account the following parameters: 

  • type of business (very small businesses, SMEs, large companies, etc.),
  • number of pages which will be printed or copied per month,
  • whether or not printing photos will be required,
  • device type (multifunction or not)...

 

In most cases, the service life of the printing device is indicated on the data sheet. For example, it could be two years for a printer or five years for a copier. 

Maintenance contracts generally extend the lifespan of printing equipment. In the case of an inkjet printer, the use of a cartridge or toner of the same brand as that of the equipment prevents the nozzles from clogging and therefore damaging the device too quickly.

Since 2006, the European Union has banned the marketing of printers equipped with “counter” chips which disable printing beyond a set number of pages. 

The EU is therefore trying to tackle what is called planned obsolescence, that is, knowingly reducing equipment lifespan in order to increase replacement rate.

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How do photocopiers and printers work? – frequently asked questions :

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