Printer is a very important part of any office or business be it small scale or large. It is not only important but also one of the most expensive machinery in your office. When you spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a machine, you sure want to know how to maintain it and extend its life span.
As the printer is one machine most used and abused everyday, the chances are high for it to malfunction, if properly maintained. It takes so many commands from so many computers, always printing and making sure your work is on the go, people do take it for granted.
But a printer is a complex machine, with many printer parts that need to work in order for that flawless result each time. If it's not taken care off, you may have a complete breakdown on an important day which can be detrimental for your business for sure and the cost to make it operational again can be very heavy on the pocket.
So the best practice is to keep a healthy maintenance routine and follow sustainable practices as a team for this machine to be in a working condition at all times. Although the life of a printer depends on various factors like the make, model, manufacturer, usage, load and temperature it's working on , if the upkeep of it is at par with the standards, you’ll be surprised how long it can last and provide you with the quality prints each time.
Printers are of various types, doing a myriad of jobs in any office or business. The vinyl printers can be a backbone of any company making vinyl decals or banners so if the printer breaks down suddenly, you can imagine how horrendous it can be for the business. In this article, I will be telling you 6 ways you can extend the life of your printer by just doing the right maintenance steps and being proactive in its upkeep.
5 Ways to Extend the Life of Your Printer
1.Always keep it at a Well-Ventilated Area with Room to Perform
The maintenance starts from the day you purchase your new printer. Always set it in a space that is not only well-lit, it is also well-ventilated. I know it's a human but a machine but a machine that works all-day needs a space that keeps the temperature at a certain level.
Placing it in a dark, gloomy and exhausted area will heat it up and will put added pressure on its printer parts. Apart from that, you also need to ensure that you don’t just fit the printer in a space that matches the dimensions, you also need to keep in mind that it needs room to perform and operate. As printer parts are moving like opening of a paper tray, changing of ink and collecting papers that are printed, you don’t want its parts to hit the walls or yourself. So always make sure it is placed in the right area.
2.Clean the Printer on Regular Basis
Now that it's set at the right place, you need to ensure reiterating cleaning episodes of the printer. The cleaning of the printer should be a regular part of your machine caring regime as this can make a huge difference in extending the life of the printer. Bust, debris and other small particles keep on accumulating inside of the printer as it has many open spaces.
These sneaky bits can cause your printer to choke at the wrong time and if not cleaned properly can also result in poor quality of prints coming out.
When it comes to vinyl printers, it's important to clean them with adhesive cleaner as this is the right solvent which would extend the life and not harm any printer parts. For temporary cleaning, you can use rubbing alcohol, paper towels, wire brush as well. If cleaning is done on a regular basis, it won’t take more than a few minutes every time.
3.Use High Quality Supplies
Just like you can maintain your car and extend its life by filling up the tank with high quality petrol, you can also extend the life of your printer by providing it with top quality paper and other supplies.
You may think that a good quality paper is essential just for high quality prints but the fact is that it also determines the good health of your printer. When you put in a heavy weight paper inside your printer it means it will stay in place when going in and out, it will also mean less ink spreading and the print that will translate on it will be precise and no paper jams.
4.Use Updated Softwares and Drivers
Running your printer on an outdated software means you are asking for trouble. When your printer is working on an old software it means it's being pushed to its limits and it won’t be working smoothly or efficiently.
This constant strain can cause breakdowns, jams and bad prints, so if you want to enjoy good prints for a long time, you need to do frequent updates to the softwares. The benefits of updated softwares go beyond extended printer life, it will also ensure reduced running costs, better print quality and an increased ability to take in larger loads without troubling.
5.Opt for Standby Mode
Constant switching on and off of the printer can take a serious toll on its life expectancy, so in order to increase the lifespan avoid frequent on and off. Printers tend to generate a high amount of heat when on even when it's not printing something, leaving it on can heat it up and make it over work. Whereas shutting it off after every print can also put stress on the printer so the best way is to keep it on the standby mode.
Conclusion
A few simple steps taken regularly can make a huge difference to the life of any machine and printer are no different. If you respect your printer, treat it like you mean it and it will stay by your side like a trusted alley!
