The technological world we live in requires that businesses utilise many types of electronic equipment in order to remain competitive; even in the smallest offices, a majority of daily business is conducted with the help of electronics of some sort. Photocopier, fax and office automation equipment are a staple in the business world; here is a brief description of copier, faxes and their uses.

Photocopiers basically allow a photo of the original document to be taken and reprinted as many times as necessary. Copiers work by using electricity to copy the original document onto what’s called a photoreceptor; the photoreceptor picks up only the white spaces on the paper, leaving essentially a negative of the document on that component. When toner powder is dusted onto the photoreceptor using an electrical charge (similar to static electricity), the powder sticks to the white spaces where the words should be, making them visible; the toner is then heated, which allows the powder to bond to the paper.

Fax machines allow one person to transfer information electronically to another; information can be sent down the street or across the world. The sending fax machine “reads” the document as a series of black and white dots, which are able to be sent through phone lines; the receiving machine then translates the dots into words and you have your finished product.

Photocopier, fax and office automation equipment have changed the face of business as we know it; as technology continues to advance, you can bet there will be even more changes in the future.