How to stop your photocopier from jamming
Try our top tips below to keep your copier running smoothly
There is probably not a single person that has worked in a business or school that hasn't felt the frustration of the dreaded photocopier paper jam. That all too familiar sound of the paper crumpling up inside the copier machine or that "error paper jam" message on the display screen with some unfathomable error code also proudly on display.
If you are like me the first thought to enter your mind is to open the window and launch the photocopier machine out of it, oh the frustration! But please don't do that, I have some top tips to keep your copier running smoothly, some of the tips you might not have thought about before
- Regular maintenance
It probably goes without saying but please have your machine regularly serviced. In most cases it is probably included in your agreement or contract. Regular maintenance keeps your machine squeaky clean and running smoothly
- Is your Copier using laser or ink-jet technology?
Now this really is my top tip. Traditionally copier machines use laser technology and most of the machines in your school or business will probably use laser toner cartridges. But there is a new kid on the block and these are photocopiers that use ink-jet technology. This means that they have complex nozzles (for want of a better a word) that can sometimes get clogged up. These new machines use a lot less energy than traditional laser copiers (they don't use as much heat so they use less electricity) but all copier paper produces paper dust when used. Some brands of paper may cause the ink-jet nozzles to become blocked with paper dust. My advice is to find a sheet that works for you and your copier and stick with it. Below are my recommendations about what paper to use and how it should be stored etc.
- A little secret about copier paper!
I'm going to let you into a little secret about copier paper. There are hundreds of brands of paper on the market as we all know but there are not hundreds of paper mills. I have been lucky enough to visit a paper mill in Finland and it really is fascinating watching the production from start to finish but then again I am a paper bore!!! However in the latter stages of the production the massive reels of paper near the finish line before they are cut to size, wrapped in reams and boxed up. And the secret is: The reels of paper are boxed up in a huge different array of brands. So basically you have at least a dozen different brands of paper all being produced from the same reel. Different brand - same paper in the box!
- The photocopier engineer blames the paper!
This is a little favourite of mine!!! If I had a £10 note for every time a photocopy engineer blamed the paper for a copier jamming up I would be quite well off. Never the photocopier is it? In the majority of cases it probably isn't the paper. Sometimes a brand of paper can work in a photocopier without fail for months upon months but suddenly the photocopier doesn't like the paper anymore. It happens but we will always find a solution to a problem paper situation
- Am I using the correct paper?
This is a great question and the simple answer in my opnion is this. If it ain't broke don't fix it! We sell thousands of boxes of paper every single month and the vast majority of this paper is just a run of the mill white box sheet. We ensure it is sourced from a reputable mill and is FFC certified. It works in the vast majority of photocopiers without a single glitch. However we have customers using branded products such as Xerox, Magnum, Datacopy and many others. Then there are the environmentally concious customers who use a Xerox recycled or Steinbeis recycled sheet (Psst these two sheets are exactly the same product in a different wrap & box - see above!) This is not to mention Ledesma Nat sugar cane paper - yup made entirely from sugar cane and is a great product
My advice is to find a sheet that works for you and stick to it. If the white box works for you and you have next to zero issues then stick with it but sometimes particularly when you are using a high volume copying machine then using Xerox Performer would fit the bill
Need any advice then give me a shout I am always happy to help graham@hosltd.net or call 01706 861643
- How should I store the copier paper?
It is very important to store your paper properly so that it runs perfectly through your photocopier. It is best practice to keep the paper in its box until it is needed. I know it is tempting to remove from the box and stack the paper reams on the shelf but leaving the product not only in its wrap but also in its box stops the paper from absorbing any moisture . Copier paper does not like moisture!
- Have you noticed an arrow on your packet of paper?
On some (and I stress some) you may notice an arrow on the packet of paper? It is exactly as you may think, it means this way up. The paper needs to be placed in the paper tray "this way up" to produce the best results
- And finally - keep your photocopier clean
It doesn't matter which brand of paper you use it will create paper dust when it is used, it can't be helped I'm afraid. So keep your photocopier clean and this includes the paper trays this ensures there is minimal paper dust around and reduces the risk of that nuisance paper jam
I hope you find the above useful but as always we are here to help with any questions you have or any advice that you need
Thanks for reading
