What is a photocopy machine?

A photocopy machine is an electronic duplicator that fuses a reproduced image to plain bond paper.

Most photocopy machines work as follows:

• A copier drum is given a positive charge.
• The image from the original copy illuminates the charged drum and a latent image is formed.
• Static electricity attracts toner to the drum surface and a visible image is formed.
• Toner on the drum is transferred to paper by positive charging.
• After the image transfer process is completed, the paper is separated from the drum surface.
• Toner on the copy paper is firmly fixed when the paper runs between heat and pressure rollers.
• A cleaning blade wipes off excess toner.
• The drum is exposed by a neon lamp to erase remaining static charge.

Photocopying is now widely available and is a fairly economical way to print a small number of books.

There are many kinds of photocopy machines available. They might have the following features:

• Enlarging and reducing images
• Copying in color
• Making overhead transparencies
• Collating
• Stapling
• Gluing

Here is a diagram of a photocopy machine:

Illustration

• Concept module: photocopy machine
• In overview module: Glossary (Literacy): P
• In modular book: Glossary of literacy terms
• In document collection: Reference materials
• In bookshelf: Literacy

This page is an extract from the LinguaLinks Library, Version 4.0, published on CD-ROM by SIL International, 1999. [Ordering information.]

Page content last modified: 8 December 1998

© 1999 SIL International