Digital Duplicators combine the speed and durability of an offset press with the ease of use of a copier and the networking capabilities of a laser printer.
Digital duplicators use the master and inks – both environmentally friendly and biodegradable from most manufacturers – instead of toner that is typically used on electrostatic copiers; no other consumables are necessary. One big improvement in today’s duplicators is that dealing with ink is not the messy endeavor it used to be. All the inks now come in a box, you take off the cap, put on a holder and slide them in. It is actually easier than installing inks in an inkjet printer. Our ink sets are moderately priced, and one bottle can last anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 copies, it just depends on the coverage you have.
Users have a range of spot-color copy options to brighten their product, and can output a host of varying sizes, from 4x6 inches to 11x17 inches. Stock thickness isn’t an issue with duplicators either – most models can handle the standard variety laser bond paper, heavier card stocks and even envelopes. Many duplicators also incorporate varying types of "job separator" mechanisms that offset the top sheet of each job.
Digital Duplicator can produce large runs of single copies – again at 120ppm to 130ppm, depending on the model – for as little as 0.3 cents per page.
Duplicators are roughly the same size and look as a conventional copier. As a standalone unit, it runs much the same way – users simply place their original on its glass and push a button. The original is automatically scanned and the image is transferred to the paper plate.
Adding a print controller, which, when connected to a computer workstation or network, "allows the duplicator to act as a direct high-speed printer. Controllers enable users to send jobs straight from their PC or Mac, or network, without proprietary software. There is a driver you put on your PC to read the controller, but that is included with the print controller.
Printing on a duplicator is highly profitable. At a fraction of a cent per impression, the margins on a jobs produced by duplicators are attractive. The duplicator adds capabilities and cuts turnaround times. A duplicator offers a shop a low-cost opportunity to get into the digital arena and adds the capability of taking customer jobs electronically via e-mail, disk or FTP.