Ok, just curious. I am getting back into office copiers. The last time I serviced them was in 1998. So, just how different are they now from then? Easier to work on, or more difficult than in 98. I've been in wide format for the last 11 years.
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Ok, just curious. I am getting back into office copiers. The last time I serviced them was in 1998. So, just how different are they now from then? Easier to work on, or more difficult than in 98. I've been in wide format for the last 11 years.
That's a good question. I'm not sure how helpful I'll be since back in 1998 I was preoccupied with using mom and dad's car and trying to get some...and wondering when in life I was finally going to have some freedom.
I want to lean towards today's machines being easier and more reliable due to technological advances...but this could be dead wrong. For instance, companies are forever making things cheaper and crappier to cut costs which could lead to more problems. Then again, back then you probably never had to deal with color copiers...today you most definately need to. Then there's the simplicity factor...generally the simpler something is the more reliable and less things there are to go wrong with it...today's machines can do about everything except make coffee...so much more to go wrong. You need to understand how paper punchers, booklet makers, folding mechanisms, etc. function...and more. Let's not forget that if you're a small dealer or working for yourself, you will most likely need to be the IT guy or even for some of your smaller customers. This involves knowing the basics of networks and how to set up the printing functions and scanning on them. Machines of today may also need firmware updates too...which on some machines aren't the most pleasant thing to do.
I wouldn't let any of this bother you. Most of us technicians, including yourself are generally smart and logical thinkers and can learn new things. I would see any areas of deficiency as a wonderful learning experience and opportunity and they might actually renew your spirits and spice things up a bit. To me the electrical theory and components, chips, and boards was the most difficult.
That's another thing. Back when I was in office copiers, I rarely if ever replaced boards. Unlike the KIPS which is done often. Do boards tend to go bad a lot in todays copiers? I seem to remember it being mostly issues with either the machine needing a good cleaning or a mechanical issue.
You saw the first generation of digital machines. At the time I was working on Canon products. Canon took a reliable platform like a NP6030 and retrofitted on a laser unit, image processing boards, print cards, CCDs (all the stuff that make a machine digital. To us as technicians that meant that there were twice to three times the number of boards, and they didn't always communicate well together. In the last 10 years the various manufacturers have combined the functions of many of the boards. Now its Main, Engine, DCPS, HVT, Motor Driver, Op Panel, Print Card, Paper Feed Board. On the color machines there are often junction or connector boards, to bring together a large number of connectors into a single harness. And yes, I do end up changing more boards, mostly because of firmware issues. Thank goodness you have missed the worst in firmware installation procedures. New machines have much less problems with the installation of firmware (if you can keep power to the machine and the memory card in the slot. That sounds like a pretty simple qualification, but it is where most problems arise).
In the old days we had individuals that specialized in Monochrome, Color, Facsimile, and Networking. Now you'll be expected to do all that, and more. There are very few installations now that you can just roll the machine in the door, plug in the AC power cord, and say "There you go!" The big companies with thier own IT departments are the easiest to setup. They spend more time with the drivers, utilities and web interfaces than I do, and are showing me new tricks occasionally. For them all I need is a location, a network and fax cord, and an IP address. By the time I'm packing up to go the machine is already spitting out test pages.
But you've got one thing that I never had. A group of thousands of experienced techs ready to help you out whenever you ask. You'll be up to speed in a few months. Don't worry about a thing. We're here for you.
What line of machines? Any company I know? =^..^=
Last edited by blackcat4866; 03-07-2010 at 07:58 PM.
If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.
blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=
They sell and service 4 brands. Kyocera, Savin, OKI and Toshiba. You'll probably see a lot of me here now....lol.
I'll be offering my two cents on the Kyocera & Oki. Are you thinking about a new monacre? KIP_Doc will be ancient history. =^..^=
If you'd like a serious answer to your request:
1) demonstrate that you've read the manual
2) demonstrate that you made some attempt to fix it.
3) if you're going to ask about jams include the jam code.
4) if you're going to ask about an error code include the error code.
5) You are the person onsite. Only you can make observations.
blackcat: Master Of The Obvious =^..^=
Yep, I'll be needing a new name....lol. I don't think I'll be missing the KIPs. Hated the problems roll feeds caused. I also hated their color machine. Big and extremely touchy.Originally Posted by blackcat4866
I build computers on the side and honestly I've have more mother boards and ports blow (especially when plugging in things while the computer is on) than I've had boards on copiers blow.
How's the quality of KIP copiers? They're mostly wide format right? I think I've seen some Konica Minolta ones made by KIP.
Yeah, KIP is all wide format. Their quality is so so. They tend to have issues with background on leading and trailing edges. And, if you ever want some real fun...try rebuilding a KIP developer assembly. That takes roughly 2-3 hours. They introduced a model not too long ago. Was the 9000. That was quickly replaced, as the 9000 had more issues than KIP cares to talk about. And their color machine...talk about sensitive.
Sounds like a wide format inkjet might be preferable...as long as you can copy too.
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