Multi-Function Centers
Buying Guide
What is a Multi-Function Center®?
Multi-Function Centers are peripherals that combine printing, scanning, copying, and faxing into the one unit. Separate devices to perform these common tasks take up more room and cost a whole lot more than a single unit with integrated features. Brother has a range of 5-in-1 and 6-in-1 MFC, which combine any combination of features including fax, printer, copier, scanner, PC fax, and telephone. Multi-function devices come with either laser or ink-jet printer technology.Why an MFC?
Multi-Function Centers contain a printer, scanner, fax and copier, and a telephone. Buying an MFC will certainly save you money over purchasing three or four separate machines. In addition to conserving desktop space, you only need a single power cable and a single connection to your computer. In the past, choosing a Multi-Function Center® meant settling for mediocre technology - but not any more. Brother's multi-function models offer a nice blend of the latest technology at affordable prices. Multi-Function Centers are designed for users who need to do a little bit of everything. Depending on the model, Multi-Function Centers can perform some or all of their functions without turning on your computer. In this scenario, this will help your business by not having to turn on a computer every time you need to copy, fax or make phone calls.1.Printing Technology
a) When is Laser recommended?
- If you have a high-volume printing requirement (100 or more pages per week) or frequently produce multiple copies of the same document. Laser printers are still much faster than other printing technologies. The cost per page will also be less for laser toner than for other conventional printing methods.
- For true business applications and documents where presentation and accuracy are paramount. Laser printers still produce sharper images, and they're less prone to banding and smearing.
How a laser works:
- As document data is received, lasers use a series of mirrors and lenses to "apply" the text or image onto an internal revolving drum. This application is accomplished by changing the electrical polarity of the drum's surface in the appropriate places. Toner, which is electrically charged with the opposite polarity of the image on the drum, is then applied to the drum and adheres in the designated pattern. Paper is heated to a precise temperature and then sent past the drum, which applies the toner to the page.
b) When is Colour Inkjet recommended?
- If you have a small initial budget. If you have a low-volume printing requirement or rarely produce multiple copies of the same document. Inkjet printers are much slower than other printing technologies. The cost per page will also be higher for ink and cartridges than for other conventional printing methods.
- For SOHO applications and documents where presentation and colour is paramount. Inkjet printers still produce photo quality images, but they're prone to banding and smearing.
How an inkjet works:
- An inkjet printer places extremely small droplets of ink onto paper to create an image. A crystal is located at the back of the ink reservoir of each nozzle. The crystal receives a tiny electric charge that causes it to vibrate. When the crystal vibrates inward, it forces a tiny amount of ink out of the nozzle. When it vibrates out, it pulls some more ink into the reservoir to replace the ink sprayed out. The dots are extremely small (usually between 50 and 60 microns in diameter), so small that they are tinier than the diameter of a human hair (70 microns). The dots are positioned very precisely, with resolutions of up to 1440 x 720 dots per inch (dpi). The dots can have different colours combined together to create photo-quality images.
2.Fax Capability
a) Fax modem speed
- Not all faxes have high receiving speed. This means that when you send a fax at high speed it will only go as fast as what the other end will receive.
- The benefits of higher fax modem speed are that it will reduce the time of a call cost when sending internationally.
- Brother offers fax speed from 14.4Kbps to 33.6Kbps.
b) Capacity of the automatic document feeder
- A higher capacity Automatic Document Feeder will give you more unattended copying/faxing of documents.
- Brother offers ADF’s from 20 to 50 sheets.
c) Memory presets (one touch/ speed dials)
- With memory presets on the fax, you save time as you don’t have to continuously type in frequently-used numbers.
- Brother offers presets of 40 to 200 locations.
c) Broadcasting
- Broadcasting allows for numbers to be pre-programmed into groups before being used.
- The benefits of broadcasting are that the one document can be sent to multiple locations with one press of a button.
d) Distinctive ringing
- Distinctive ring allows users to identify by the tone of the ring whether the incoming call is a fax or phone call.
- Benefits of distinctive ring are that the user can use the same one phone line for fax and telephone numbers.
3.Scan/Copy Capability
a) Flatbed vs. Sheet-fed models
- Flatbed scanning is more versatile and allows you to scan or copy books, thick documents, unusually shaped items or rigid material.
- Sheet-fed scanners are most suitable if you only have to scan standard business documents.
b) Copying capabilities
- Standalone copying capabilities – Standalone copying equates to convenience, as users do not need to turn on a computer to make a copy.
- Reduction and enlargement capabilities - Documents can be reduced or enlarged to 400%.
- Multi-copying and sorting - The MFC can be used as a copier with up to 99 copies and it can sort and stack.
4.General Considerations
a) Print & scan resolution
- Print resolution is the quality of the output of the page. Generally, a 600 dpi laser printer is recommended for general everyday business applications. Higher dpi’s, result in better text and graphics quality.
- Scan resolution is the quality of scan of the original page. Generally, 300x600 dpi is recommended for everyday business applications.
b) Ink/Toner configuration
MFC’s offer low running costs. There are many factors to consider in working out your running costs. Several advantages that the Brother MFC’s maintain over other products include:
- The MFC print drum is separate from the toner cartridge - This prevents the problem of throwing away a still usable drum when the toner is exhausted.
- MFC’s have separate colour ink cartridges - This prevents the problem of throwing away a good cartridge if one colour runs out.
- MFC ink cartridges have a good yield - The cost and life of cartridges is an important consideration. A higher price doesn't always mean higher capacity. It is important when reading manufacturers’ estimates for cartridge life that you check the percentage coverage of the page that’s quoted. Also, check if there is any toner-saving function – this can save money if you’re only printing draft copies.
c) Speed
- Print speed is often measured in “Pages Per Minute” (PPM). If you're using an MFC in an office environment with multiple users or have a heavy printing requirement, a faster print speed is required. Please note that printing graphics depends more on the time it takes to produce the first page than how long it takes to provide additional copies of the same page.
- Rated scan speeds are sometimes not easily available, however the units with the faster print engines are more likely to support quicker scanning as well. Copy speed should be close to the rated printing speed if not exactly the same.
d) Expandability
- Network ready - Does the MFC have an option to be networked, so that you can send/receive faxes from your computer and have scan-to-email?
- Expandable memory. Can the RAM of the MFC be upgraded? This will enable the machine to store more pages in memory for sending and receiving faxes.
e) Cost per page
- Cost per page is the overall operating cost to produce that one page including machine purchase price, toner/ink, and paper.
f) Paper handling
- Paper handling is how many pages the MFC can hold in its paper tray. If you print or receive large-sized or many documents at the one time, look for an MFC that can hold many sheets of paper. This reduces the time spent refilling paper. Also, ensure that the machine can handle a range of paper sizes and media.
g) Memory
- Because an MFC stores an entire page before printing/faxing, it needs a considerable amount of internal memory. The more memory your MFC has, the faster your computer will be freed to process other tasks. At the very least, make sure your MFC comes with enough memory to produce an entire page of graphics at its optimal resolution.
- Out of paper reception - Out of paper reception is how many pages the MFC can store in memory before it runs out of paper.
h) Ease of use and maintenance
- For small companies that do not employ system administrators or IT support personnel, the ease of use and maintenance is vital. The main issue here will be how easy it is to change the toner/ink and other consumables.
- Note: There is 24 hours, 7 day per week online support available through http://solutions.brother.com.
i) MFC printer driver’s compatibility
- The MFC driver can contain features that add significantly to the ease of use and flexibility of the MFC and compatibility to existing or latest software and hardware.
- Most Brother models are compatible with Windows®95, 98, Me, NT4.0ws, 2000, XP, and Mac OS 8.51-9.1.OSX.
j) Networkability
- If you have more than five people in your company, it is advisable that you do not network an MFC by attaching it using a parallel cable to one of the networked computers, simply because a printing bottleneck is caused by the low data transfer rate between the PC and MFC over a parallel cable. We advise buying an MFC that can attach directly to the network using a network interface card or an external print server. This makes printing, and faxing faster, but the added advantage is that these MFC’s usually have additional network utilities supplied that make them easier to manage.