High-Volume Printers
February 1, 2008
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The biggest issue with high-volume printers is feeding them. The best systems now offer software for preparing complex jobs like booklets and complex folded or tabbed documents and for combining page layout programs with archived pages and scanned materials. All the speed in the world is useless without a steady stream of work.
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Customization and the use of variable data are supported by some systems better than others.
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Resolution is not an issue for the majority of offices; it should not determine your choice.
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Take monthly duty cycles with a grain of salt. Use them for comparison purposes only, but don’t expect to get the full page count month in and month out.
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Cost per page on the higher-end models is determined by negotiation with your vendor. That cost may be far more important than the sticker price. Make sure you hammer down guarantees before you sign on the dotted line.
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List prices are what the dealer starts negotiating with; you should be able to settle for one-third off that price.
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You can usually get a better price on extras (finishers, added paper drawers) if you negotiate them up front.
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Service is another area that has to be negotiated before you sign a contract. Make sure you have an agreement on how fast the vendor will respond on site to a problem.
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Consider getting several slower machines instead of a single faster machine. For some users, the existence of a back-up printer in case of a problem is more critical than raw speed on one unit.
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We are seeing a growing number of color production printers from several vendors. If you are producing marketing literature with your printer, color is fast becoming a necessity.
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The dividing line between high-speed printers and high-speed copiers is getting thinner all the time. You may want to check our High-Volume Copier & Multifunctional Guide.
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