The six stages inside a photocopier
Every laser-class copier, whether a Canon imageRUNNER, Kyocera TASKalfa, Konica Minolta bizhub or Xerox AltaLink, runs the same basic process, called electrophotography or xerography.
- Scan. A light bar moves under the glass (or the document feeder pulls pages past a fixed sensor) and turns the original into a digital image.
- Charge. A charge roller or corona wire gives the photosensitive drum an even static charge.
- Expose. A laser or LED array switches on and off across the drum, removing the charge wherever the page should be white. What remains is an invisible electrostatic copy of the page.
- Develop. Fine toner powder, itself charged, sticks only to the charged areas of the drum.
- Transfer. Paper passes the drum and a transfer roller pulls the toner off the drum and onto the sheet.
- Fuse. The sheet runs between a heated roller and a pressure roller, which melt the toner into the paper. That is why copies come out warm.
A cleaning blade then scrapes leftover toner off the drum, and the cycle repeats for the next page, many times a second on a fast machine.
Analog vs digital photocopiers
| Analog copier | Digital copier | |
|---|---|---|
| How the image reaches the drum | Light reflected off the original through mirrors and lenses | Scanned to memory, then written by laser or LED |
| Copy many from one scan | No, the original is re-exposed each time | Yes, scan once and print many |
| Print and scan | No | Yes, as a multifunction device |
| Still sold | Rarely | Standard today |
Because a digital copier stores the scan, it can sort, staple, print double-sided, email the scan or save it to a folder. That is what makes it a multifunction printer.
Which parts wear out?
- Toner runs out and is replaced most often. See toner vs ink.
- The drum wears with every page. Manufacturers rate it in pages: the Kyocera TASKalfa MZ3200i in our range lists a drum life of 600,000 copies.
- Feed and pickup rollers lose grip, which causes paper jams.
- The fuser ages from heat. A worn fuser leaves toner that rubs off.
Regular servicing replaces these before they fail. Our photocopier maintenance guide covers what gets checked and when.
Is a photocopier the same as a printer?
Not quite. A modern photocopier is a printer with a scanner, built for heavier volume. We explain the differences in photocopier vs printer.
Questions about your own machine? Send the model and a photo, and the team in Kacheripady will reply.
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