How to Fix a Copier with Poor Print Quality

In the office, having good printouts is always a necessity especially if company executives or clients are the recipients of these documents. The print quality of these documents reflects on you. It may send the message that you are well-prepared or did things hastily. Naturally, you want the former to be the impression you’d leave these important people with. This is only achievable if your copier is able to do its job well – print high quality documents.

It is not unusual, however, for copy machines to act up and produce dirty or smudged printouts. Sometimes, simply reprinting the document is all it takes to resolve the problem. There are cases though wherein this action yields the same results – documents with poor print quality.

There is no denying that it can be frustrating when your device has print quality problems at a crucial time. This type of issue is not just time-consuming; it is also wasteful.

What Causes Poor Print Quality and How to Address Them

To figure out what’s causing the poor print quality, you need to check the parts of your copier. You also need to assess if the poor quality happens in all printouts. For example, in a multifunction device, the scanner glass can be the culprit if print quality is only poor when you copy and not when you print a file.

User Problem

This type of issue can be avoided if proper usage, care and maintenance are given to the copier. This is because users are sometimes responsible for the device having poor print quality.

One of the most common causes of poor printouts is a dirty scanner glass. This is often due to people who copy in a hurry and no longer check the documents they place on the glass.

How exactly does this happen? An example would be documents with Post-Its attached to it. The adhesive of the Post-Its can stick onto the glass. Eventually, the adhesive will attract dirt and dust which will cause blemishes on your copies.

Aside from Post-Its, correction fluid or tape can also transfer onto the glass. The part of the glass covered by the correction tape or fluid will be evident on your printouts. In addition, the correction fluid might make its way to the underside of the glass and become a harder problem to solve.

You should also check your stapled documents. It may seem harmless to put a stapled document on the scanner glass and copy it, but it is not!

What’s the deal with this practice?

It may lead to scratches on the glass. You wouldn’t want this to be problem because this can be a costly issue to repair.

Another important reminder is to keep all your copier paper dry and clean. Any moisture, dirt or dust can accumulate inside the machine and eventually cause poor printouts.

To fix a copier with print quality issues because of a dirty glass, all you need to do is clean the glass. If you do this task without the help of a professional technician, make sure you use the appropriate cleaning fluid for scanner glasses. Also, see to it that you spray the fluid on a soft cloth instead of applying it directly on the glass surface.

If the culprit is a scratched glass, a replacement may be needed to resolve the problem. This one requires technical know-how; so, please do not attempt to do this on your own.

Toner Problem

Your toner may also be the culprit behind the poor print quality of your documents. Check your printouts if there are parts that are already appearing lighter than they should be. This is often an indication that the toner level is low and needs replacement. Meanwhile, if there are black scratch-like marks on the printout, this may be a tell-tale sign that the toner is scratched or damaged.

To prevent toner-related print quality issues, you need to make sure that you purchase and use correct toners for your printer. Acquire your toners from certified partners and dealers of the leading printer brands only.

Suffice it to say, a poor print quality issue can be prevented if users observe the right practices when scanning or copying documents. It can also be avoided by getting high quality toners and regularly monitoring toner levels. Meanwhile, if the issue persists even if you’ve done the recommendations above, call your photocopier service provider right away!

Need help fixing a copier with poor print quality? Our trained technicians can resolve the problem quickly the first time. Call us today at 0818 987 900!